Ruby-B312
by GreenTheRyno
Summary: After Reach has fallen, Noble Six finds herself back on her uncharted homeworld. She may not remember much about the world of Remnant, but that won't stop her from doing anything she can to avoid losing yet another family.
1. Sierra-B312

(A/N) Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 2/8/19.

This story is written in first person, and I've been asked many times to announce which character's POV is currently being portrayed. I started doing that in ch11, but now I'm retroactively putting them in. Just know that the /-\ symbol announces a character transition.

Also, we just broke 300 favorites and 400 followers! That's awesome! Thank you guys so much!

Anyways, on to the story!

* * *

Chapter One – Sierra B-312

* * *

/-\ Noble Six; Reach - Near Asźod Shipyards /-\

* * *

"DEMON!" A voice roared. A voice I recognized as one belonging to an Elite.

My leisurely walking pace halted instantly, and I turned around. "Hmm, a Field Marshal… Maybe you'll _actually_ put up a fight, unlike your brethren…" I said, gesturing to the field of Covenant corpses we were standing in.

He growled and activated his dual energy knives. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!"

A small smirk crept its way onto my face, not like he could see it under my Recon helmet, though. "Eh, care to put your money where your mouth is?" I taunted, sheathing my sniper rifle, seeing as I won't be needing it here.

"GRAAAA!" The elite roared, finally losing its temper, as it charged me. I dodged at the last second in a flurry of rose petals, letting its momentum carry it just past me. I quickly climbed up onto its back and buried my combat knife into its skull, killing it.

"Disappointing…" I huffed as I wiped my blade clean before re-sheathing it. 'Alright, I survived… I guess…' I thought, looking back at the blue-stained and body-stricken field I was standing in. 'Now what?' I looked around, spying a long-abandoned house in the distance. Shrugging, I moved towards it.

Rather than knocking, I drew my M45 shotgun from my back and kicked down the door, sweeping the area to make sure that no covvies were present. I methodically searched every room, but thankfully found no hostiles. I came across a partially shattered mirror in what remained of the dining room, and only now did I notice how stained my armor was. My color scheme, a unique combination of a red front and a black back, was replaced almost entirely with blue alien blood, only a few, tiny, spots showed their intended color.

I sighed before popping off my helmet and reaching into one of the many pockets on my recon chestplate, pulling out a silver rose emblem. "…Hey mom…" I started, rubbing the memento with my thumb. "Sorry I haven't talked in a while, I've kinda been busy… The Covenant found Reach… and we're losing… I've been fighting for about a month straight now, and I don't know if I'll make it off this planet…" My last memory of my mother flashed through my mind and I could feel my eyes start to water. I shook my head, quickly bringing my mind back to the present. "I… I don't know if I'll be able to make it back home…" A solitary tear rolled its way down my cheek and I took off my helmet to wipe it away. "I wish I could've known dad… or my sister… Goddamnit, I don't even remember their names!" I shouted, throwing my hands up in the air. "I miss you, mom…" I laid a quick kiss upon the emblem. "I love you." I said, returning it to my pocket.

I quickly composed myself and donned my helmet before setting out. Where was I going? I had no idea, I just picked a direction and walked. After walking for several hours without covenant contact, I started to become suspicious. I was certainly not in friendly territory, and yet, there are no hostile contacts to speak of… And that's when I noticed the CCS-class battlecruiser approaching my position. "Well, fuck…" I muttered to myself as I broke into a run. After several minutes, it was clear that this particular ship wasn't just aiming to glass a section of the planet… it was specifically targeting _me._

Upon realizing this, I knew escape was out of the question. Instead of dying afraid and running, I stopped and sat down, pulling out mom's silver rose. "Well mom, looks like I was right…" I said. "I'm not gonna make it off Reach…" a sad smile crossed my face. "Its gone… and there's a covvie battlecruiser that's gonna glass me any minute." I felt the air ionize and I looked up to see the ship in question charging its glassing beam directly on top of me. "See ya soon, mom…" Just then I felt an immense amount of power well up inside my head, and my vision was enveloped in a bright white light.

* * *

My eyes fluttered open, only to meet the darkness outside of my helmet. Moments later, my memento floated by me, just inside arm's reach. I quickly grabbed it, stowing it and scanning the area for any clues as to my whereabouts. In the corner of my eye, I spotted a planet. I used my suit's built in thrusters to turn towards it. 'Okay, I'm in space, apparently… But that is _definitely_ not Reach over there…' I keyed my comms. "This is Sierra Bravo-Three-One-Two in orbit of an unknown planet requesting a pick-up, anyone copy?"

…

"I repeat, Sierra Bravo-Three-One-Two requesting a pick-up."

...

'Great… alone again…' I checked my orbital trajectory. 'Oh, that's not good…' I thought as I realized I was in a decaying orbit. Given that I didn't have an M-Spec re-entry pack, I immediately fired my thrusters to make the descent as shallow as humanly possible before orienting my body to enter back-first into the atmosphere.

My journey through the upper atmosphere was surprisingly, and thankfully, uneventful. I came in shallow enough to barely have any re-entry heating get under my shields, and even less got under my natural energy shield, though it still stung as if the flames had licked my bare skin.

I punched through the clouds, still supersonic, and activated my suit's rockets. They wouldn't do much, but it would at least be _something_ as opposed to nothing. At 1km up, I was barely subsonic and locked my armor, bracing for impact. The impact came, and everything went black.

* * *

My eyes fluttered open and I groggily gave out a groan. After a few seconds, I came to my senses… only to realize that there was someone reaching for my helmet. I quickly de-activated my armor lock and swatted her hands away.

She jumped back with a yelp. "Geez, can't a girl get a little nap in after falling from orbit?" I sarcastically said as I got up. I studied the girl in front of me as she seemed to be in awe of my height. She stood far shorter than my armored form. Just eyeballing it, I'd say she stood a little under a foot shorter than me, making her around 5'5 or 5'6. She had amber eyes and raven hair topped with an odd black bow that I'm sure I just saw twitch. She wore black tights that slowly faded into purple at the bottom underneath a pair of white short-shorts. For her top, she wore an odd black sleeveless coat, that was only buttoned once just underneath her bust, on top of a cut-off white blouse. One of her arms had a detached sleeve with a metal cuff around it while the other had a ribbon wrapped around her forearm. To finish off the outfit, she wore a pair of black wedged heels. As her head moved to the side, I spotted a black sword on her back, blending in nicely with her hair. 'Good to know she's armed, and that she's not a threat.' Sensing that we had been staring at each other for long enough, I extended my hand. "Spartan B-312, and you are?"

The bow-wearer blinked, probably at my odd name, and hesitated for a second… Eventually, she accepted my gesture. "I'm Blake." She looked me over for a second, her posture saying that she was more curious than afraid. 'Good, she's probably not an innie than…' I thought to myself shortly before she continued. "What are you doing out here?"

I finally turned my attention to my surroundings, which I have been ignoring due to a lack of motion tracker contacts, and saw that I was in some kind of red-leafed forest… 'Not the oddest I've seen, though it is interesting…' I thought to myself as I pondered the best way to answer her question. Eventually, I just shrugged. "Didn't really have much choice over my landing zone… Falling without a re-entry pack tends to do that, you?"

Her breath hitched and eyes widened slightly. 'Ah, so… doing something you're not supposed to, then? I'd say it has something to do with that fancy sword your hiding…' "N- Nothing… Just… out for a walk."

I crossed my arms. "Yea… just out for a walk… carrying your _sword._ Just… as ya do…" I said, sarcastically. "Look, I really don't care if you're a wannabe ninja, just try not to kill yourself with that thing…" She glared at me. I threw up my hands. "Alright, alright! Listen, just… can ya lead me to the nearest city or something?"

She again studied me for a second before answering. "Fine, I'm headed to Vale anyways."

* * *

"Can we stop here for a minute?" My guide asked.

"Alright." I replied, sitting on a fallen tree. I took off my helmet, eliciting a stare from Blake. "Yes?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"Just curious, how old are you?" She asked, curiosity in her voice rather than venom.

"Well, I'm not sure… I'm at least seventeen though, why?"

Blake raised her eyebrow. "It's just that… you look like you're fifteen. Also, how can you not know how old you are?"

I shrugged. "Guess I've just got a young face…" I lied. "And as for your question, I'd rather not talk about it…" I took out my memento and stared at it for a bit, idly rolling it between my fingers.

She nodded, a blank expression on her face. "I can respect that."

After a few minutes, I spoke up. "Hey, mind telling me what planet I'm on?" I asked, stowing the silver rose emblem that I had been holding.

Blake looked at me quizzically. "Uhh… Remnant?"

I shrugged. "Never heard of it. Is it an inner colony, or outer?"

She looked immensely confused for a moment. "…Colony?"

"Yea, is it kinda near Sol, like the inner colonies, or is it a bit further away, like Meridian or Arcadia?" I asked, clarifying my question.

"I… umm… uhh… I…" She stammered out. "…Let's… come back to that question…"

I shrugged before putting my helmet back on. "Eh, sure. You ready to move?"

She flinched. "Uhh, sure… Yea, let's go…"

* * *

It was around half an hour later that my companion spoke up again, being completely silent for the journey previous to this. "Why?"

"Hmm? Why what?" I asked.

"Why do you trust me?" Seeing me not respond, she elaborated. "You just fell out of the sky on some random planet you've never even heard of and you're letting a complete stranger lead you around! Aren't you worried that I'll lead you into a trap or something?!"

"Eh, I don't actually trust you." Her eyes widened. "But you are _certainly_ not a threat to me. And, given that you didn't draw your weapon on me the second I woke up, I highly doubt you're an innie." I paused for a moment, my helmet hiding a smirk. "Even if you tried to lead me into a trap, you would be woefully underprepared to fight one of only _two_ hyper-lethal Spartans in existence."

She stood there, speechless, for a moment before finally managing to stammer out a coherent sentence. "You… you've… _killed_ people?!" she yelled.

"Yep, I think it's about… three thousand? Four? I don't really know." I said, nonchalantly. Her face paled and she backed away. "Something wrong?"

"G- Get away from me!" She yelled as she unsheathed her sword.

I sighed. "Seriously?" She backed up another step. "Have I tried to kill you yet?" I asked.

"N- Not another step!" She said as she began taking continual steps backwards.

I sighed again. "You wanna leave? Fine, go ahead. I can probably find the city on my own anyways."

Her eyes darted from side to side before she turned and ran. I could've outrun her, but there just really wasn't a reason to. I shrugged and turned back towards the direction we were heading.

* * *

Its been a few hours since I arrived in the city… and I'm hopelessly lost…

All this time I have been trying to raise _any_ UNSC or even UEG personnel, but I have been unsuccessful. Furthermore, I have been completely unable to access the planetary waypoint, meaning that I do not have access to a map of any kind. Walking in the dark, I finally come across an open store, an oddly named shop called 'From Dust Till Dawn', and decided to ask for directions from the shopkeeper.

I enter, expecting the shop to be mostly empty. Instead, I'm greeted by the sight of an old man in a green shirt and a faded red apron being held at gunpoint by three attackers. Two of them, the grunts I assumed, were dressed in black suits with a matching bowler hat and a blood-red tie with matching slatted sunglasses. One of them was wielding a red katana whereas the other had a strange pistol. The one in the middle of his two grunts wore a white suit coat with black dress pants, black gloves, and a black bowler hat. Oddly enough, his only armament seemed to be a cane of some sort, though, by the construction of the tip, it would seem to be a cane-gun as opposed to its more vanilla cousin.

They all turned towards me and one of the katana-wielders rushed to attack. I grabbed the hilt of his sword mid-swing and tore it from his hands. Meanwhile, I brought up my left hand and crushed his windpipe with a knife-hand strike. As he was collapsing to the floor, I flung his sword at the other black-suit. He failed to dodge it and the weapon impaled him in the chest, killing him nearly instantly.

White-suit guy, seeing his subordinates slaughtered, decided to engage me in melee combat. He brought up his cane to strike, but it was child's play to dodge his mediocre attempt. I grabbed his cane with one hand and my sidearm with the other. He decided it would be a good idea to punch me in the head with his left hand. I could've dodged it, but I figured it would be more entertaining if I didn't. His fist impacted my faceplate and my helmet barely moved an inch. He screamed in pain and grabbed his, now very likely broken, hand, letting go of his cane in the process.

I kicked White-suit guy in the midsection, throwing him to the ground, before whirling around and facing the two black-suits that had tried to sneak up on me. Both were wielding katanas… Big. Mistake.

To their credit, they had the brains to simultaneously attack me. Unfortunately for them, I dodged one attack and parried the other, knocking him off balance. I quickly fired three rounds into the non-staggered one's skull, killing him instantly. Before his body even hit the ground, I whipped the cane around and cracked the last black-suit's skull open.

I once again turned to face White-suit guy, expecting him to be curled up on the ground like any normal human… only to be met with his attempt at tackling me. The key word being 'attempt', in reality, I only slid back a few inches before stopping completely. He stared at me, wide-eyed in shock, unaware that I sheathed my pistol. I grabbed him by one of his arms and kneed him in the gut a few times before taking him to the ground and putting him in a submission hold.

He struggled for a bit before giving up. "Who… Who are you?" He asked.

I smirked under my helmet and replied in as robotic a tone as I could manage. "Spartan B-312."

* * *

After the police arrived, they took me with them to their station. I'm now sitting across from a blonde woman, like I have for the past five minutes, with nary a word being said. The woman wore a white long-sleeve pleated top with a large opening in the center and a pair of gauntlet cuffs that cover most of her forearms. She also adorns a black pencil skirt and matching stockings with heeled boots. Last but not least, she wears a half-black half-purple frayed cape that also adorns a golden tiara on the back. This is the bespectacled woman that has been furiously studying me for the entire time she has been in here; eyes desperately trying to pierce through my visor.

Finally, her composure broke, and she let out a huff of indignation. "Who, no, _what_ are you?"

A smirk crept its way onto my face, it's going to be fun messing with her. "Classified."

Her scowl deepened. "And which question does that answer?"

"Yes." I turned off the intercom and locked my armor before bursting into laughter as she began to visibly shake.

I regained my senses just in time for another man to enter the room. He was also bespectacled, but instead wore a green suit with a matching green scarf. "Glynda, enough." I unlocked my armor and re-activated my intercom in preparation to speak with this man. 'Glynda' ignored him for a moment before closing her eyes and taking several deep breaths. The man sat down across from me, still staring into my visor, but instead of a permanent scowl, he wore a slight smirk. 'Guess the fun's up then, oh well, I still got a good kick outta messing with that Glynda woman…' I thought to myself. A minute or so passed with no words said, the only movement in the room being the man occasionally taking a sip of his coffee. "You know, it is quite rude to hold a conversation with a fully enclosed helmet such as yours." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.

I shrugged before removing it and running my fingers through my black, jaw-length hair. I blinked a few times to adjust to the new light level and only now noticed the expressions of the other people in the room. "Hey, you guys look like you've seen a ghost."

They continued to stare at me. Green-suit guy eventually recovered, he grabbed his datapad and pressed a few buttons before handing it to me. "The woman on the left, does she look familiar?" I looked at the picture and immediately knew what he was talking about. The woman in the picture looked _exactly_ like me. Every. Single. Detail. Even down to the silver eyes that everyone obsessed over, was identical. It was as if I was looking in a mirror. I just stared at the picture for the longest time. Even noticing the familiar-looking silver rose emblem on her belt. I quickly pulled out mine to confirm my suspicions.

"How did you get this?" I asked, my voice short and strict.

"That woman is one of my former students, Mrs. Summer Rose." He took another sip of his coffee. "A number of years ago, she disappeared after the Grimm attacked her family home, along with her daughter-"

"Ruby…" I finished for him. "Ruby Rose…" I nodded. "Guess I finally have a last name…" I paused for a minute. "Heh, has a nice ring to it…"

There was a long pause. "We assumed you were dead, Miss Rose, where were you?"

"Spartans never die, we're just missing in action…" I gave a slight chuckle. "As to where I've been, its classified." I saw him deflate slightly before I continued. "Since I finally found out where I'm from, is there any chance that you know where my family is?"

He changed the picture on his datapad to one of a grey-shirted man drinking while a blonde, burly man looked on disapprovingly. In the background, a young woman with golden blonde hair in a short ponytail was hunched over a desk, pouring over notes of some kind. "Yes, the two men are your father and adoptive uncle, while the girl in the background is your sister."

I poured over the picture, analyzing every detail, but my gaze lingered upon my sister for longer than the other two. From the angle the picture was taken at, it was impossible to see anything but her back, though I could see that she looked depressed. "My sister… she doesn't look well…"

His neutral face suddenly took on an element of solemnity as he changed the picture to one of her exclusively. She was smiling, but I could easily tell it was a forced one, and her blue eyes scarcely held any life within them. She wore a red sleeveless sweatshirt that slowly faded into gold towards the bottom and adorned a black burning heart emblem in the upper left-hand corner. A hardened leather spaulder adorned her left shoulder, in addition to a rerebrace made of the same material below it. "Yes, she was hit hard by both your and Summer's death. But she has found a singular purpose, and I believe it is the only reason why she is still with us." He flicked the picture over to one of a file for a place called 'Beacon Academy', with the title being 'Student File: Yang Xiao Long'. "She has dedicated her life to becoming a huntress; to protecting the citizens of Remnant from any and all threats." He paused for a moment. "Classes start in a week, and if I remember correctly… We still have a spot open." He flicked the datapad over to another screen, an application form. "A spot that I believe you can fill, Miss Rose…"

* * *

I stood near Beacon's air docks, leaning on a tree and observing the just-landed airships disgorge their passengers. Last week's discussion with Professor Ozpin, as he was called, had been an interesting one after he invited me to attend his academy. At first, I declined his offer, but that answer changed when I learned that not only is this world severed from the rest of UNSC space, but that it would be completely helpless without me there to defend it. It had not been a decision I would have made if I could return to the front, but I do like the idea of being one of the few Spartans to meet their birth family.

The first one out was a blonde boy wearing partial medieval-era plate armor. He quickly ran out of the airship and hunched himself over a garbage can, disgorging his last meal. 'Motion sickness… sucks for him…' I idly thought as I kept eyeing the students. I would probably have looked _very_ out of place amongst the huntsmen-in-training here… were it not for my active camouflage armor mod. The reason I was hidden was not for fear of retribution, hell, I could probably take every student here and come out nary a scratch on me, but instead it was to avoid… unwanted attention… Given that I was almost completely still, I would be effectively invisible… Especially to a certain bow-wearing ninja wannabe that had just entered the courtyard.

The noirette was staring down a white-haired prissy girl with murderous intent. 'Hypocrite…' I thought. After a few seconds of staring, Vomit boy made an appearance and clumsily tripped over the Princess's luggage. She repeatedly screamed in his face and started shaking a vial of red powder around… only for it to explode. Another red vial was thrown in the air by the explosion and landed right at Blake's feet. She picked it up and scowled at the insignia on the bottle. 'Ah, so a vendetta against a company, then? I'm guessing the Princess has something to do with it…' Blake walked towards the duo, Princess still screaming her lungs out at Vomit boy, who was busy stammering out what I assume were apologies.

Suddenly, they both notice that Vomit boy is bleeding, Princess looks indifferent and storms off, whereas Blake produces a miniature first-aid kit and starts assessing the damage. She cleans the wounds, picks out a few small glass shards with a tweezers, and slaps on a few bandages before calling it good. She then promptly leaves him with what I assume were words of encouragement.

I sighed at their antics before spotting a familiar golden ponytail amongst the dwindling crowd. I had already decided to not approach her yet as to not overwhelm her, but I really wanted to see her in person. I may or may not have hacked into her file, and thus, learned that I would have no shortage of opportunities to actually meet her before tomorrow's initiation. I finally got to see her completed outfit, in addition to the sweater and few bits of armor, she wore two large matching golden bracelets as well as a dark grey pair of pants and white tennis shoes. She also had on a black backpack, though it wasn't stuffed by any stretch of the imagination. Given that most, if not all, of the students were toting at least one large wheeled luggage, this meant that she was traveling light.

She stared at Beacon Tower for a few seconds, likely taking in the sight, before letting her shoulders slump and continuing on, her head hung a few degrees below straight forward. I sighed again, knowing that I would have a lot of work ahead of me with regards to Yang's depression.

A minute or so later, I deactivated my cloak and walked into the auditorium. The place was fairly full, so I decided to lean against one of the outer walls. The students kept filing in, and soon enough, Ozpin started his very… un-motivating speech. Afterwards, we were directed to gather in the ballroom after nightfall. I sighed, before heading to my remedial courses.

Given that I grew up completely cut off from my homeworld, I obviously lacked any education on Remnant-specific things such as aura, dust, grimm, and their history. With the exception of aura, I had to take a very accelerated course on each of those subjects. The only reason why I didn't have to take a class on aura is because I already was more proficient in it than over half of my class… Apparently, the thing that I've been calling a 'Natural Energy Shield' all these years is just aura.

* * *

It was well into nighttime by the time my remedial finals got done, and, having nothing better to do, I headed to the ballroom. Along the way I heard screaming, and I instantly turned towards it, drawing my shotgun. As I got closer, I realized these screams were ones of physical exertion, not of terror. Seeing my mistake, I quickly stowed my weapon, but now I was curious. I activated my active camouflage and peeked around the last corner I came to.

I raised an eyebrow at what I saw. There she was, my sister, training well into the night. I eyed a water bottle on a nearby bench and cracked a smile at an idea that I just had. I deactivated my cloak, grabbed the water bottle, and shouted "Heads up!" before throwing it to her. She whirled around and dodged it before dropping into a practiced boxing stance, her eyes a fiery red. "Little jumpy, eh?" I jabbed.

She sighed and blinked, her eyes returning to the blue shade I saw earlier. "Who are you?" she asked, meekly.

"I'm R-" I stopped myself before I said anything, realizing that now was not the best time to reveal myself. "Call me B-312 for now." I extended my hand.

She paused before reaching for my outstretched arm. "That's an… odd name…" She forced a smile. "I guess I'm Yang…" her face returned to normal. "So, what are you doing here?"

A smirk crossed my lips as I cracked my neck. "Well, I saw you practicing and I was wondering if you wanted a sparring partner."

She blinked, and it took a little bit for her to respond. "Uhh… Sure…"

I cracked a smile and dropped into an eastern martial-arts stance, my left foot back and my arms raised to about neck height. I also elected to go easy on her, seeing as I was a fully-armored Spartan. "Ready when you are, blondie."

Her eyes flashed blood red and she surged forward with a wordless battlecry. My sister immediately unleashed her fury and beset upon me with over a dozen punches within the span of only five seconds or so. No normal human would be able to block all of her punches… so it's a good thing that I'm not a normal human. She kept up the pace for roughly ten seconds before she had to back off, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

We started to circle each other like sharks, each looking for an opening to exploit. She surged forward again, but this time concentrating everything into one monster of a punch. I dodged with only an inch to spare… but this was intentional, for she had overextended herself with her strike. I quickly grabbed her gauntleted forearm and brought her midsection into several powerful knee strikes. I landed my leg and switched my balance before bringing my other leg around to kick out her knees.

The move worked, but she caught it in stride and recovered with a summersault. "Nice one." I commented. "How's your aura?" I asked as we began to circle again.

"Feels like sixty… You?"

"Full." I responded. For the duration of this fight, I had decided to let her win if she broke my shield… I doubt it'll happen though. Her eyes widened and I surged forward, bringing up my fist before she even knew what was happening. I halted my fist midair for a split second to give her a chance to attempt a block or a dodge, of which she chose the former.

She brought up her gauntleted fist to block, and, to her credit, was actually able to successfully stop my strike. Unfortunately for her, she didn't see my other fist make a jab towards her midsection. She just barely twisted out of the way but let go of my other arm in the process. We began exchanging blows, each striking, being blocked, and then counterattacking. I purposefully let a couple fists past my guard, but she accidentally let several more through hers. Eventually, one of my punches staggered her, and I threw a roundhouse at her torso. It connected, and her aura barely held. I backed off. "Aura?" I asked.

"I'm… Done…" she said between breaths. "You hit like a truck…"

'More like a MAC…' I thought to myself as I turned up my armor's strength again. "Thanks, you're not bad yourself."

She blinked. "What do you mean? I was barely able to touch you!"

I cracked another smirk under my helmet. "Yea, but you obviously haven't been training to fight people." I chuckled a little bit. "Against a Grimm, you'd kick ass." The fact that I'm a Spartan went unsaid and was the real reason I was impressed with how well she did… even if I handicapped myself significantly.

She seemed at a loss for words, and I just now noticed that her eyes had changed back to blue. "I… umm… Thanks?"

"Don't mention it," I gave her a pat on the back. "we should probably hit the hay, though."

"Uhh, yea… I guess we've got a big day tomorrow, don't we?"

* * *

My eyes snapped open and I shot up, hand reaching for my pistol. I looked around… only to realize that I was in the middle of Beacon's ballroom… "Damn nightmares…" I muttered to myself as I holstered my weapon. I looked at the time, 5:37am. 'Well, I guess I slept in…' I thought as I looked to Yang's bedroll…

...only to find her missing from it.

By pure chance, or Ozpin's intervention, I ended up next to my sister for the night… not that she knew I'm her sister yet. I decided that now would be the time to tell my sister… I just needed to find her first…

I checked all of the likely spots, the bathroom, the cafeteria, and the plaza. There was only one place I hadn't checked yet, the place that we sparred a scant six or seven hours ago. I rounded the corner and, sure enough, there was the golden berserker, going through her routine.

I leaned against the building and watched her for a moment. With wordless battlecries, she surged forward, striking at imaginary enemies. She continued her routine for several minutes, mostly using her fists, but occasionally mixing in a kick of some sort. To finish it off, I saw her imitate the move that I used on her during our sparring session. Dodging a punch, grabbing the arm, using it to lead into a knee, and then quickly sweeping the legs. She slid away from her imaginary opponent before hunching over and attempting to catch her breath. After a few seconds, she turned around. Instead of greeting me with a friendly wave, she froze.

"You're up early." I commented.

She was frozen in fear but was able to stammer out a response. "Y- Yea… uhh… y- you are too…"

I made an unamused look under my helmet. "Yang, what's wrong?"

She took a step back. "I… Uhh… I don't know what you're talking about…"

At that moment, it clicked. "I'm guessing you've been talking to Blake?"

Suddenly, she stood her ground. "Is it true?"

"The fact that I've killed? Yes." She stiffened up. "But, I have no interest in killing anyone here."

Her steely face softened into one of confusion. "But… Blake said you tried to kill her."

I scoffed. "If I did, she wouldn't have lived to tell about it… I think our sparring match yesterday proved that." Her guard dropped. "What I doubt she told you, Yang Xiao Long, is that I do not take killing lightly. My body count may be in the quadruple digits, but they _all_ had a reason to die. Humanity as a whole would be worse off if they had lived." Obviously, I left out the four mooks I killed on the day I arrived, but hey, details...

She was silent for a moment. "You don't even trust me with your _name._ How can I possibly trust that you won't try to kill me?" Then her eyes widened in realization. "I… I didn't tell you my last name, how did you-"

"Because we've met before, Yang." I quickly finished.

She was taken aback. "I think I would have remembered meeting a giant like you."

I cracked a smile before popping the seal on my helmet. "Let me give you a hint…" I said as I slid the piece off my head.

* * *

(A/N) And that's the revised version of Ch1 done!

I'll be revising all the chapters while this thing is on hiatus, though the only thing I'll actually be changing is wording, plus, adding descriptors to the /-\ symbols to make this thing easier to read.

I might add an Omake that expands on off-screen events mentioned in each chapter, but other than that, it'll still have all the same information.

Anyways, that is all! See ya guys in the revised version of "Players and Pieces", the next chapter.


	2. Players and Pieces

(A/N) Wow... i really didn't expect such a warm welcome... i'm actually at a loss. Thanks everyone for your support!

It has occurred to me that i haven't actually specified an upload schedule for this story, so i guess i'll say that there really won't be one. I mean, i plan on getting at least one chapter out per week, though it'll really come down to an 'I'll publish it when it's done' type policy... that could mean one chapter per week, like i plan, or two... or maybe three if i'm particularly inspired (Read: not busy) that week. Also, I've decided that individual review responses will be at the end of each chapter whereas announcements will be at the beginning.

Also, POV switches are now a thing! i wanted to be more subtle about when they happen... but fanfiction won't let me put a double line break, which is what i was GOING to use... Now it'll just have /-\ in between two line breaks.

Now... on with the show!

Edited for clarity on 2/16/19

* * *

Chapter Two – Players and Pieces

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Beacon Academy grounds /-\

* * *

"Its good to see ya again, sis." That sentence reverberated through my head over and over again as I stared at the bare face of my sister.

The sister I thought was _dead_ for the vast majority of my life.

Five minutes ago, I had been afraid for my life in her presence, and yet… now I couldn't look away. I had thought about her every day since her 'death', never in my wildest dreams did I think I would _actually_ get to see her again. I dropped to my knees and my hands came up to my eyes as I attempted to hide them from my 'little' sister.

I felt something squeeze me, and I moved my hands just enough to see my sister's face. I quickly embraced her, years of held tears finally spilling free. "It's okay, I'm here now…" I heard her say as I wailed. This went on for what felt like only seconds, but, judging by the now-risen sun, had been at least an hour.

"R- Ruby… I- I'm sorry…" I stammered out, wiping the remnants of my tears away.

"Sorry for what?" She asked.

"I… I… I couldn't save you…" I stammered out, wiping away my tears.

Her face turned into one of steely conviction. "And just what could you have done? Not even mom could have won that engagement and you were just a child at the time." Her face softened once more as she sighed. "Sorry… I just don't like it when people do the whole 'It's my fault' jig."

I embraced her again. "I'm just glad you back, sis…"

She returned it immediately. "I am too." We held the position for a minute or two before she hoisted me to my feet. "C'mon, lets go get some chow… we've got a big day ahead of us."

* * *

I looked on in a mixture of horror and amazement as my sister absolutely demolished her plate of food, a stupid smile plastered on her face the entire time. "Uhh… enjoying the food, sis?" I awkwardly stammered out.

She burped. "How could I not?! This stuff is amazing!" She said shortly before she shoveled another pancake into her mouth.

"Uhh… its just school food… its not that good…" I tried to rationalize. Then I had a thought. "Just _what_ have you been eating this entire time?"

She looked up from her plate, quickly slurping up the remains of a bacon strip. "Hmm? Oh, if I was on base, I got this bland nutripaste stuff… off base… well… whatever was available… usually weeds n' stuff…"

I paled. "W- Weeds?!"

"Yea, turns out they're all you need to survive for months on end… well… all _I_ need…"

I blinked. "But... weren't you here yesterday? What did you eat then?"

She shrugged. "Guess I missed dinner."

Suddenly, the loudspeaker boomed. **"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon cliff for initiation, again, all first-year students to Beacon cliff."**

She paused for a second, her eyes darted between me and her food… then me… then her food… before she quickly devoured the rest of her plate in two seconds flat and popped on her helmet. "Shall we?" she asked.

I blinked a few times before nodding in affirmation.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Falling above the Emerald Forest /-\

* * *

'Goddamnit Ozpin, Goddamnit Ozpin, Goddamnit Ozpin!' The thought reverberated through my head as I fell through the air after being launched from Beacon cliff. I picked a landing zone and locked my armor, preventing any damage whatsoever. I careened through several trees before making a sizable crater in the ground.

I quickly got up and checked my surroundings… no contacts. I turned northwards and began lightly jogging to my destination, my shotgun held at the ready. 'Okay let's see… Landed? Check. Not in combat? Check. Partner? In progress. Who would I want as a partner, anyways? Well, Yang is probably actively seeking me out, and I would really like to be on the same team as her, so hopefully its her. Blake would just be awkward… seeing as she may or may not think I tried to kill her… though she does have some medical training… that'll come in handy if any of us needs it… I never really introduced myself to Vomit boy, though that's probably for the best, he doesn't seem like he knows anything… Hmm… I feel like I'm…' I skidded to a halt in front of the Princess. '…forgetting someone… Fuuuuuuuuuck…'

She eyed me warily for a second before giving a hesitant nod and extending her hand. "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."

I accepted her gesture. "Spartan B- err- Ruby Rose." She raised an eyebrow before shrugging. "C'mon, the objective is this way."

"And how do you know that?"

"My helmet has a built-in compass…" I deadpanned.

"Hmph… Very well, lead on."

I nodded, but before I could turn around, I spotted a black creature about to leap onto my new partner. "CONTACT!" I yelled, before pushing her out of the way of the leaping beast. The Grimm lunged, and I tackled it to the ground before shoving my knife into its throat several times, killing it.

I quickly got up, barely having time to identify the evaporating corpse as one of a Beowolf before my motion tracker lit up with several contacts. "GET UP! WE AREN'T DONE YET!" I commanded my partner. I quickly scooped up my shotgun before stowing it on my back, I wouldn't need it for this fight. In my shotty's stead, I held my magnum in my left hand with a knife in my right.

As soon as the grimm emerged into the clearing, I opened fire, targeting their bony skullplates. All of the bullets hit their marks, but very few did any noticeable damage. Out of the half-dozen or so Beowolves that emerged, only one dropped from my pistol's rounds. Seeing how useless it was, I stowed my pistol and exchanged it for my backup knife.

By the time I had completed my switch, the beasts were upon me. One of them lunged forwards, teeth bared, but I easily sidestepped it, shoving one knife into the base of its skull. By the time it hit the ground, I was already withdrawing my other blade from the skull of one of its comrades and slashing at yet another Beowolf with the previously bloodied blade.

I surged forward, throat punching a Grimm while winding up a roundhouse for one of three remaining enemies. I ducked under a lunge and dragged my knives across the beast's underbelly, twisting as I freed them. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my partner repeatedly stab the only upright Beowolf several times in the chest with her rapier. Taking the initiative, I ran over to the sole survivor and snapped its neck.

I looked over to my partner, whose chest was rising and falling rhythmically. "Just another day at the office, eh Weiss?" I said while stretching my arms over my head.

She raised an eyebrow shortly before shaking her head. "Let's get moving." She deadpanned.

"You're no fun…" I said, before leading her onwards.

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Emerald Forest /-\

* * *

I popped up to my feet shortly after landing in a forward roll, scanning the small clearing I had entered from above. Seeing the area was clear of any Grimm, I took off running in a direction that I assumed was where my sister landed. 'Gotta find Ruby, gotta find Ruby…' I thought to myself. 'Oh, this is bad, this is bad! I _need_ to be on her team! What if someone finds her first?' I shook my head. 'No, I need to find her now!' "RUUUUUBY?! RUUUUUBY?!" I called out, getting no response.

Suddenly, a large black paw shot from the forest, swiping directly for my face. I easily slid under it, firing my gauntlets to arrest my momentum about a dozen feet past it. I whirled around, hands up in a boxing stance, to see what had attacked me. A trio of Ursa Minors stalked from behind cover, each licking their chops at the prospect of what they think will be an easy meal.

My face twisted into a snarl as I let out a wordless battlecry. The Ursai charged and I rolled left to avoid another strike, ending in a crouch to power up my next attack. I threw an uppercut at the nearest one, sending it careening into one of its packmates. I charged the remaining one, sending a flurry of punches into it. The first strike stunned it, the second broke its front left leg, the third shattered its muzzle, and the fourth destroyed its throat. The beast fell, lifeless.

I let out another wordless battlecry as I charged the other two Ursai, each trying desperately to untangle themselves from the other. Another uppercut sent the one on top flying into the trees and I straddled the remaining one near its head, which was laying on its back. I sent punch after punch into its lower jaw and throat, only stopping when it went limp.

I quickly rolled off the evaporating Grimm to avoid a clawstrike from the sole survivor of the pack, but I was too slow, and the hit connected. As I was recovering, it let out a roar… …that sharply turned into a dying yelp. I stood in confusion as it slumped over dead, though it faded when a certain bow-wearing ninja retrieved her sword from the base of the Ursa's skull.

I breathed a sigh of relief and felt my eyes return to their normal, blue, color. "…Thanks." I said, causing her to nod in return. "…I guess we're partners, then…" I sighed.

"Looks like it." She flashed me a small smile. "I watched your fight, you're pretty good."

I sighed again. "…Well, I've had a lot of practice over the years…" I responded, memories flashing before my eyes. I shook my head and only now noticed that she had raised an eyebrow. "I… don't wanna talk about it…" She gave a curt nod. "C'mon, I think this way's north."

We walked for a few minutes before I spoke up again. "So… umm… this morning, you said that girl attacked you…" Her face turned serious as she nodded. "…and I was wondering… why did you… uhh… lie about that?"

Her eyes widened. "I… uhh… I…" She paused and took a deep breath. "Look… I just…" she groaned. "Shekilledalotofpeoplealright! I just... I saw you with her and i thought you were next andthenwhatifimnextand-"

I put my hand over her mouth. "Shh… take a deep breath and hold it." I instructed, she and I did so as I removed my hand. "Now out through the nose." We both did so. "Now in… aaand out… Better?"

She nodded. "Y- Yea… I think so… thanks…"

"No problem, but you two will at least need to work together from now on."

She raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Oh, because we'll all be on the same team."

She visibly flinched. "Why would you want to be on the same team as that… murderer?!"

"Because she's my sister." I started walking and motioned for her to follow me. "One that I thought was _dead_ for almost ten years now…"

She blinked. "Wha- but how?! I saw her fall from the sky and she started asking what planet she was on!"

I sighed. "Well, looks like I have more than a few questions to ask her later…" I paused. "Let's get moving."

* * *

"So… uhh… think this is it?" I asked, upon clearing the forest and seeing the ruins in front of us.

She gave me a look that seemed to say 'well duh' before strutting onwards. She strode into the ruins, pointedly looking at each item that rested on its own pedestal. "…Chess pieces?" she asked.

"…Yea…" I paused as I looked around. "Some of them are missing, we're probably not the first ones here…"

She nodded. "I guess we should pick one." She said as she moved to collect the last remaining black bishop piece.

"Wait." I commanded.

She paused. "…Why?"

"I think this is how he assigns teams." She raised an eyebrow. "Every pair needs their own relic, teams have four members each… and there's two copies of every chess piece."

"…Alright." She conceded. "But that still doesn't answer my question."

"Like I said: I'm _going_ to be on my sister's team, and the best way to do that is to wait for her here."

"Yea, but there's no guarantee that-"

We heard a loud crash and both snapped towards it… only to see a dissolving Ursa Minor impaled on one of the branches of a newly-uprooted tree. Seconds later, a familiar red-armored figure emerged from what remained of the tree line, her gauntleted hand reaching for her sniper rifle. She gave an upwards nod. "Sup?"

I blinked as she strode over to us… alone. "Uhh, where's your partner, Ruby?"

"Hmm? Oh, I kept showing her up, so she tried to pick a fight with a giant nevermore. They should be arriving right about…" She lifted her rifle skyward as a screech pierced the air. "…now."

At that point, three distinct sounds roared through the air. The first was a girlish squeal coming from the forest, the second was the bark of Ruby's sniper rifle, the third, and final one, was a pained shriek coming from a Nevermore.

My eyes darted to where she shot at, and I saw a person wearing white fall from the grip of said Nevermore. My eyes widened in horror as she plummeted, and I moved to intercept her near the ground. Ember Celica clicked as I readied my dual-shotgauntlets to propel me upwards, but before I could act, I saw another person sailing through the air… screaming all the while.

He hit her perfectly and his momentum sent them both into a nearby tree. I stood there, confused, as I looked around to the others in the clearing. Both were hard to read, one wore a fully-enclosed helmet and the other had a look of indifference about her. Eventually, Ruby shrugged and moved towards the relics, settling in front of the pair of white knights after some time.

She picked up the pieces and tossed one to me. "Here, you'll need this."

I caught it effortlessly as she stowed hers in one of her chest pockets. "Uhh, okay… Shouldn't you check on your partner though?"

She shrugged. "She's fine. Actually, I think I hear her cussing out Vomit Boy over there." She said as she thrust a thumb behind her.

"Uhh… oka-"

 **-Boom-**

"Yeeeeehaaaawwwww!" A girl shouted as she dismounted an Ursa Minor. "Aww… its broken…"

A man dressed in Eastern-Mistrali garb emerged from behind her, panting. "Nora… don't ever do that again…"

He looked up to see his partner had gone and looked around for a moment before finding her looking at one of the white rook pieces. "Oooo!" She said as she grabbed it, posing in multiple different ways. "I'm queen of the castle! I'm queen of the castle!"

"NORA!"

"Hehe… coming Ren!" She responded with a mock salute.

My partner spoke up as the two met by one of the ruined pillars. "Did that girl just ride in on an Ursa?"

 **-Krrraaaaaaggghhh!-**

A redheaded woman in decorative Southern-Mistrali armor ran out from the forest, a large, moss covered, Deathstalker hot on her tail. The massive Grimm clicked its mandibles a couple of times before swiping at her. She dodged every attack effortlessly, but I could tell she couldn't keep this up for long.

I aimed Ember Celica behind me and fired off two rounds, one from each gauntlet. "DODGE!" I yelled as I careened into a joint on one of its claws. I threw a few punches, allowing the woman to escape before I myself attempted a retreat… the key word being 'attempted'. The Deathstalker threw strike after strike at me as I dodged left and right to avoid them.

I stumbled slightly after I put a little too much effort into dodging one of its strikes… …only to be hit by a follow up that sent me rolling across the ground. I got my bearings long enough to recognize the beast's distinctive tail swooping down on me and I instinctively shut my eyes and covered my head.

Seconds passed… but nothing happened… I tentatively opened my eyes and saw-

 **-CRACK-**

 **-Kkkkrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaggggggggghhhhhhh!-**

-my sister riding the Deathstalker and repeatedly punching it. With every punch she threw, the already large spiderweb of cracks in its armor grew even further. I scrambled away on my back as the Grimm struggled in vain to shake her off. A deafening crack resounded through the air after a particularly powerful blow. Ruby followed up by tearing a large piece of armor from its host before burying a green metal ball into the resulting hole.

She quickly leaped from her perch and backpedaled as fast as she could… …shortly before the Deathstalker exploded…

I stared wide-eyed in shock as my sister threw her hands up in the air and shouted. "YEA! THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR MESSIN' WITH HUMANITY!" What was left of the Deathstalker started to slowly dissolve and Ruby took several deep breaths. "…gah… naptime…" she almost whispered as she flopped to the ground. I rushed over and slid down to a spot beside her.

"Ruby! Are you okay?!" I yelled, concern evident in my voice.

"Yea… Just gimmie a minute, sis…" She patted my shoulder. "Goddamn… stim crashes suuuuuuck…" I blinked in confusion. "We'll talk about it later, for now let's- Oh… SHIT!" She rolled to her feet, quickly grabbing her sniper rifle. "EVERYONE LOCK N' LOAD! WE'VE GOT GRIMM INCOMING!" I rushed to my feet, but Ruby was faster, her rifle quickly snapping to three distant beowolves. Her rifle fired off a trio of shots, each dropping their target. "We're surrounded! Weiss, you're with me! Ren, Vomit Boy, cover the south! Red, Blake, get the west! Yang, Nora, take the east!"

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

The others seemed to take my orders in stride, a fact I noted while deftly reloading my sniper. The main enemy force was coming from the north. By their radar signatures, they were all Ursai and smaller, but their sheer numbers more than made up for their lack of higher-difficulty Grimm. Several larger signatures approached from the east, which was why I put our heavy-hitters on that flank. The west mainly had smaller Grimm, and in fewer numbers than the north… though not by much. Due to it being the way we came from, the south had very few Grimm approaching, thusly, I felt comfortable putting the two unknowns on that flank. To make matters worse, there was still that giant nevermore running around somewhere…

Four more shots rang out from my rifle, this time two Boarbatusks and an Ursa minor fell. My magazine dropped. "Weiss! Make us some defensive spikes!" I yelled as I inserted another mag, this time taking aim at the lone ursa major of the horde. It dropped, but at the cost of three shots. With the remaining one, I downed a fairly large beowolf. The spikes finally materialized, impaling a dozen Grimm before they broke.

Six magazines, and dozens of monsters, later, I was on my last legs for ammo. I glanced at my motion tracker. The southerners were just finishing mopping up the remains of their foes with the west not too far behind… though the east was having a _lot_ of trouble. I quickly glanced at them to see what they were facing, and my eyes widened. Two Beringals and a juvenile Deathstalker had them in a _terrible_ spot. "Weiss, Vomit Boy! Help out the east!" I yelled over my intercom. I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold this position for long by myself… especially without Weiss's defensive spikes… so I went with option 'C'. "Red! Get to the south and clear an evac corridor!"

"We haven't grabbed our relic!" was her response.

"Grab one and go! We can't hold this position for long!" I said as the last 14.5mm round left my rifle. I quickly switched it out for my shotty, though the horde was still well outside its effective range.

"We're clear!" I heard the spartan wannabe shout.

"Alright! All units disengage! I'll get the rear!" I looked at my motion tracker and saw everyone had disengaged. I stowed my shotgun and engaged my semblance, catching up to the former eastern flank in seconds and sticking a Beringal with a plasma grenade as I passed it.

The familiar sound of a sticky's explosion echoed through the air, one red dot dropped off my motion tracker, signifying the Beringal's death. I kept running and running, by this time, I had far outpaced the Grimm, though I couldn't let up yet, I still needed-

 **-Cccccaaaaaaaaawwwwww!-**

'…This day just doesn't get any easier, does it?' I thought to myself. "Change in plans! Everyone get to the bridge and cross it. Nora, once everyone is across, destroy the bridge! I'll find my own way back!"

Before they could protest, I veered off from them and fired a few pistol shots at the pursuing nevermore. It screeched loudly, though I suspect it was more in annoyance rather than pain. One thing was for certain: I had gained its complete and undivided attention.

All according to plan.

Looking back at it, I saw the nevermore start to climb…

…before shooting feathers out of itself like bullets.

"SHIT!" I yelled as I dove to the side, barely avoiding being skewered by one. I recovered with a roll and spotted a fairly tall ruin ahead. Deciding that this was the best option I had, I sprinted towards it.

The overgrown parrot swooped down to grab me at one point… …that proved to be a mistake on its part, as I was able to grab onto it. I quickly began scurrying up its leg and onto its back. It obviously didn't appreciate this and did all sorts of wild maneuvers to try and shake me off, though it only succeeded in delaying the inevitable.

I made my way up its back and onto its neck, where I drew my knives and began hacking at the vulnerable flesh underneath. I carved and carved, easily removing my own weight in black, corrupted meat before I reached what I was looking for. The spine.

I quickly primed my last remaining plasma grenade and stuck it to the offending organ before leaping to the sky and locking my armor. Before I landed, I saw the nevermore begin to fall, limply, to the ground, signifying its death. The second I felt myself come to a stop, I unlocked my armor and redrew my shotgun, ready for action.

I glanced at my motion tracker and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that I had escaped them… …or so I thought… Literally a second after I finished sighing, a huge rock came out of nowhere and hit me square in the chest, depleting my shields in an instant and doing a number on my aura. I recovered with a roll and turned towards the source… …a giant stone golem…

'Okay… options…' I thought as I dodged repeated strikes. 'I've got one grenade left and no mass weapons…' Another giant stone whizzed past my head. 'Yep, time to book it.'

After a few seconds of running, I came across a gorge in the distance. One that could not be crossed by the golem… or me… unassisted, that is. A smirk crossed my face as I ran towards it. I reached for my last frag grenade and jumped at the last second, letting it detonate just behind me to produce the maximum amount of lift.

My shields hadn't started recharging yet and my aura broke with the blast. After a split second, I felt the pin-pricks of shrapnel dig its way into the nigh-unarmored sections of my skin. I just barely grasped the opposing side of the gorge and pulled myself up before I, again, took off running.

After several minutes, I checked my motion tracker. No contacts. I collapsed under a tree, looking to assess the damage I had inflicted on myself. I sighed as I dressed my wounds… This was going to be a long walk home…

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Beacon Cliff /-\

* * *

"WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE HER OUT THERE!" I screamed at my partner.

"Yang look at yourself… You're bleeding, your aura is broken, you're low on ammo… What do you plan on doing out there?" She retorted.

"I'LL FIND HER!"

"And do what? You saw the horde, they'll rip you to shreds!"

I stood there, unmoving, as I realized she was right. I don't know how long I was standing there, but at some point, I felt my eyes turn from blood red to their usual blue. "I… I can't lose her again…"

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Ozpin might know if she's here."

"Y- Yea… let's go find him." After several minutes of looking, we finally found the headmaster. "P- Professor Ozpin?"

He hummed as he turned around. "Ah, Miss Xiao Long, Miss Belladonna. What can I do for you two?"

"W- We were wondering if you kn- know where my sister is…"

He sighed, and a slight frown tugged at his face. "Unfortunately, Miss Xiao Long, Miss Rose was last seen riding a nevermore leaving surveillance range… I'm sorry to say that her aura has broken… it is unlikely that she survived her ordeal…"

I broke down crying, right then and there.

* * *

Hours later, I stood in the auditorium, once again sister-less, while Ozpin started his induction speech.

"It is with a heavy heart that we are gathered here today. While sixty-five of the eighty initiates this year passed initiation, I regret to inform all of you that, of the fifteen that failed, five of your classmates did not survive the exam." The screen flashed five faces, one of them being Ruby's. "Every year, several young huntsmen and huntresses lose their lives on this first day… It is tradition that we honor their memories before moving on to team assignments. Each student that perishes during initiation is to be inscribed on a special plaque within Beacon's courtyard. So far, over the seventy-nine past initiations this school has operated, five-hundred-and-fifteen names decorate that list. Now, for the eightieth, the number will become five-hundred-and-twenty. There will be a short period of time after every person is announced should anyone wish to say a few words… Now, we shall begin…" With a sigh, he began. "Silver Tsun was an honest young man…"

He went on for a long time, saving Ruby's for last… though I could not stop shedding tears. "Finally, the last, and arguably bravest, among the newly deceased. Ruby Rose." Her portrait took over the screen. "This list would likely have been much larger today had it not been for her actions. At least seven people in this room owe their lives to her, and many more will, in turn, be saved by those seven huntsmen and huntresses-in-training. I did not know her personally, though I'm sure she would have been one of, if not the, best students to pass through these halls… If anyone wishes to come forward, they may do so now."

I hesitantly approached the stage and cleared my throat. "R- Ruby was my sister… I- I didn't get to know her that well over the years… actually, I just learned she was still alive this morning… S- She disappeared after the grimm attacked our home about ten years ago and I haven't seen her since… But in the little time th- that I got to know her again, I could tell that she would have given anything to protect people… and she did…" I took a few deep breaths. "I- I think Professor Ozpin was right… she would have been a great huntress… Rest in peace, Little Rose…" I took another deep breath and started off the stage-

 **-CLANK-**

"Ah, sorry I'm late… its been one hell of a day." A familiar voice said. I stared wide-eyed in shock as she marched towards the stage, completely unable to formulate a response. She strode past me and reached into her pocket, producing her white knight piece and handing it to Ozpin.

He gave a warm smile. "I must say, Miss Rose, it is quite unusual for a student to interrupt their own funeral."

"Heh, what did I tell you about Spartans and dying, Professor?" She reached into another pocket and retrieved her broken scroll. "I'll probably need another one of these, though… landed on it wrong after the grenade jump."

He gave a slight chuckle. "That can be arranged. Now, if you and Miss Xiao Long would take your seats, we can move on to team assignments."

She nodded and strode towards me, probably noticing that I was frozen in place. "C'mon, sis, let's-" I cut her off as I enveloped her in a tight hug, which she promptly returned. "It's okay sis… I'm here…" She cooed as I started sobbing into her shoulder. Suddenly, I felt her sweep me off my legs and put me into a bridal carry, though I didn't care. Ruby was here, and things were going to be alright.

* * *

"…Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team CRDL. Lead by… Cardin Winchester." The four of them left the stage to make room for the next team.

"Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team JNPR." Nora hugged Ren with a happy giggle. "Lead by… Jaune Arc!"

Jaune blinked. "Huh? L- Lead by?"

"Congratulations, young man." Ozpin said before Pyrrha gave him a light punch to the shoulder… …accidentally sending him to the ground, eliciting a short laugh from the audience. They quickly left the stage.

"And finally, Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team RWBY. Lead by…. Ruby Rose!" I gave my sister a warm smile and caught Weiss's shocked expression, though her expression was neutral as she held her helmet at her left side. "Normally, this would be where the ceremony would end, but I have a special announcement to make." Professor Goodwitch handed him an ornate box. "It is a little-known fact that students here at Beacon can earn awards, but it is a fact none the less. There are only a handful of said awards that can be earned by students, some of them even dating back to before the Great War. They can be given for academic success, bravery, or a number of other things." He paused for a moment. "Ruby Rose, for not only showing exemplary bravery during your initiation, but also for putting the well-being of others before your own, I hereby award you Orion's Cross." He opened the box and handed her an ornate golden cross with a single silver star at its center and hung from a maroon ribbon. She accepted it and immediately snapped a salute. He nodded, and she dropped her hand. "You may display the medal however you wish, as this is not a military academy. Though past recipients have typically worn theirs upon the left breast of their school uniforms." He stepped back. "It certainly looks like things are shaping up to be an… interesting year…"

* * *

(A/N) I personally don't think this one turned out as good as the last one... though that could be my personal preferance for plot over straight up fight scenes... though i certainly don't dislike those either... idk, let me know what you guys think.

Part of me is a bit iffy on giving Ruby a medal... especially since Beacon isn't a military academy. But she needs _something_ , and what else would she be given? Money seems a bit... odd... and a higher grade just seems cheap, especially since she was technically so late that everyone thought she was dead. Also, naming a medal after Orion seems appropriate (For those that don't know, Orion is a constellation in the night sky, commonly referred to as 'The Hunter').

Another iffy part for me was when Blake kinda broke down to someone who amounted to little more than a stranger (Yang) when they had just became partners... But then again, Blake isn't really depicted as the most logical person... sooo idk...

Something that i'm not iffy about is Weiss picking a fight with a giant nevermore... on her own... My reasoning is that in the show, her older, and supposedly more disciplined, sister attacks Qrow, her ALLY mind you, simply because he was drunk and made a few snarky comments... In this, Ruby killed 7 (or 8? i honestly can't remember) beowolves in the time it took her to kill 1... its implied that this trend continued for the entire time they were together. It seems reasonable that the Ice Queen's temper would eventually get the best of her and thusly would jump at the chance to show off.

Anyways, on to the reviews!

 **evevee** \- Thank you, that was very kind. I certainly intend on writing more here.

 **Guest 001** \- That's alright, not everyone is bound to like something... it would actually be a bit weird if everyone did... still, thanks for keeping your disagreement civil and i hope you have a nice day.

 **Guest 002, 004, and 005** \- While i appreciate that you (I am assuming its the same person) are thrilled enough with my story to ask multiple times for an update... Writing is not an instant process... I need time to think of things, and then, usually, even more time to actually jot them down... Then things get edited, for better or worse. I don't mean to discourage you from reading my story, or any others for that matter, just... maybe wait a little longer than ~3 hours after it was posted before asking for an update.

 **Guest 003** \- I don't really have anything against an OC Spartan (in fact, Ben from 'The Men From Onyx' is pretty cool imo... at least i think he's an OC, correct me if i'm wrong.), though i think Jaune would be sent home before they even got to the augmentation process, without aura, that is. And as for the rest... no comment.

 **MegaElite** \- Well, here's your first taste of Ruby B-312 interacting with everyone! Hope ya liked it. There'll be more next chapter.

 **The first choice** \- Thanks for the compliment! And Crescent Rose is just too iconic to not make an appearance... though it will not be for a VERY long time.

 **Karmisa** \- Glad you're enjoying it!

 **Dragonsword1000** \- Thanks! I like this Ruby too, but after seeing the new Adam trailer for volume 6, i can't help but think Blake would start drawing parallels between him and her if she knew about what happened in the dust shop... That was completely unintentional, by the way...

 **MiukiAkiyama** \- Glad you're enjoying it!

 **.39** \- You'll just have to wait and see...

 **Tuiop** \- Thanks!

 **seraphimknight** \- Much appreciated!

And that's all! After editing this... dear god did I overuse elipses in the earlier chapters.. Oh well. Anyways, the next one is called 'Killing Machine...?' See ya guys then!


	3. Killing Machine?

Aaaand its finally done! This chapter was kinda difficult for me to write, hence why it took longer than the previous one to write... though _technically_ I didn't miss the schedule by too much. Oh well, its here now!

This chapter is the start of the 'Badge and the Burden' arc, though i added _a lot_ to it... so much so that i split it into two chapters. Anyways, onwards!

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes on 2/25/19

Re-edited 4/19/19 because I, apparently, didn't do a good enough job the first time.

* * *

Chapter Three – Killing Machine?

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Beacon Academy Dorms /-\

* * *

"Let's see here… 308… 310… ah here we are, room 312… heh…" I said as I pointed at each door, respectively.

Blake's eyebrow rose. "What's so funny?"

"Ah, it's nothing…" I said as I unlocked the door. "B-312 is my service number, so I thought it was funny that we got assigned to room 312 in dormitory B."

We stepped into the room and I went about stowing my weapons in the makeshift rack in one of the corners. "Are you sure this is the right dorm?" My partner asked, eyebrow raised. "It looks like someone has already moved in."

"Yep!" I responded. "Don't worry, Weiss, the scroll wouldn't've unlocked the door if it wasn't the right one… and as for the reason why it looks lived in… well… this is where I've been staying for the past week."

Everyone had a slight moment of confusion before they moved on to other things. Weiss moved over to inspect the boxed-up beds, Yang was subtly sneaking a few peaks at my weapons, and Blake was inspecting something in the corner. "What's this?" She asked.

We all looked over to her. "Oh, that's a basic armor rack that I built. Just put the finishing touches on it yesterday morning, actually."

She raised an eyebrow. "And why couldn't you just set it on a table or something?"

"Oh, because this suit would probably break the table. Also, it usually takes five hours to get out of this thing without any help." I said nonchalantly, as I finished storing all of my guns and ammo.

I removed my helmet and set it aside before stepping into the armor rack. "Alright, now if I'm right about this… all I need to do is concentrate…" I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and focused all my attention on my semblance. Instead of my armor, I willed only my body and the surrounding bodyglove to turn into rose petals. Slowly but surely, I felt myself slip out of the armor and I began to reassemble roughly two feet in front of the armor stand.

The last rose clicked into place on my forehead and my eyes shot open as I sucked in a deep breath. I looked down at myself, confirming that it had worked before turning back to my armor and seeing it held up in its stand. A smirk crossed my face as I turned back to my team to gauge their reactions. At first glance, Blake appeared to be neutral, but her slightly widened eyes told me that I had caught her off guard. Yang looked like she was just as surprised as Blake was, though she was much more obvious about it, her eyes darting between me and my armor. A blush started to form on my partner's face and she immediately turned towards the beds. By the looks of it, I was the only one that noticed her reaction, as the other two just went back to what they were doing beforehand.

I shrugged and joined my partner, to which my presence was noticed immediately. "Ruby, please put some clothes on." She almost demanded, though her tone was slightly weaker than usual.

I shrugged. "I have a bodyglove on. That's enough clothes for now." Her eye twitched, and I let out a short laugh. "Let's just get this bunkbed assembled, then we can get to sleep. I have a big day planned for us tomorrow."

She blinked. "Did you say this is a bunkbed?"

"Yep, I specifically requested them for their efficiency." I said absentmindedly, already paging through the instruction manual.

"U- Umm… Ruby?"

"Yeah, sis?"

"A- Are those… _bloodstains_ on your legs?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Don't worry though, it was nothin' really." At their unconvinced expressions, I elaborated. "Seriously, it barely even registered as 1hp on my HUD… actually, how did that _even_ happen? It was just a frag, not a sticky…" I hummed in thought before I tried to change the subject. "Oh! That reminds me, when we're in Vale this weekend, I need to restock my medkit." I responded nonchalantly as I went back to the instructions.

Yang crossed her arms. "So, it wasn't 'just nothin'." She said, throwing up a pair of air quotes. "We should get you to a doctor."

I waved her off. "Nah, I'm basically my own doctor at this point… plus, I already did the field surgery to-"

She gasped. "What do you mean _field surgery_?!"

"Well, I couldn't just _leave_ grenade fragmentation in my legs, now could I?" They were shocked into silence at the implication that I performed surgery on myself in the middle of Grimm territory. "Now that I think about it, I should probably clean some of the stuff I used. Hey Blake, can ya toss me my medkit? It's the white box on my left leg."

She seemed hesitant at first, but eventually complied, and, after a second of fiddling, managed to get it free before handing it to me. I nodded in thanks and headed to the bathroom. "Let's see here… Didn't use the biofoam, or any wraps… ah yep, definitely used the tweezers," I thought out loud as I made a mental shopping list and washed everything down. "and the sutures… I'll need to buy more surgical thread later. OH! and gauze, can't forget that." A minute later, I exited the bathroom and stowed my medkit where it belonged.

An hour or so later, and more than one argument with Weiss about the bunk beds, and we had everything assembled. "Soooo, uh... how're we doing this?" My sister asked.

"I was thinking that we group up by partners, it doesn't really matter who gets the top bunk and who gets the bottom one, so you guys can sort that out." I turned to my partner, who I could tell was purposely keeping her eyes above my neck. "On the rare occasions when I've had the luxury of sleeping in a bed, I've usually had the top bunk. Is that alright with you?"

She nodded. "I prefer to be nearer to the ground anyway."

I nodded before turning to address the rest of my team. "Alright, I've already went over our schedule for tomorrow. Classes start at nine o'clock, breakfast runs from seven-thirty 'til eight-thirty. I'll wake everyone up at six for our daily wor-"

"What?!" My partner interrupted, throwing up a hand to silence me. "Did you say six o'clock?!" I nodded in affirmation. "What kind of... _masochist_ would do that to themselves?! Much less others!"

I grinned. "Ah, great to have a volunteer for the FIVE o'clock work out. Thanks partner, it's always good to have a runnin' buddy."

"Wha- You insufferable little-" She shouted before cutting herself off.

My eyes narrowed. "Mind finishing that sentence? I can go _days_ without sleep…" I got right up into her face. "I doubt a princess like you can even do without _one._ " She stared for a moment before sighing and excusing herself to change in the attached bathroom.

Blake crossed her arms. "That was harsh."

I waved her off. "Nah, I wasn't actually going to make her go through with it… This time…" I walked over to my weapons rack and retrieved my sidearm. "I've met her type before, I just need to be a bit harsh in the beginning to get my point across." I slipped the magnum under my pillow and climbed into bed. "Offer stands, though, I'm getting up at oh-five-hundred for a pre-workout." I said, accidentally slipping back into military time.

"I'll pass."

"S- Sure…" My sister responded. "If I'm up, that is." She quickly amended.

I shrugged. "Alright, suit yourselves. I'm gonna get some sleep."

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Location Unknown /-\

* * *

I stood in the middle of a grassy field, a place I didn't recognize.

Looking around, I noticed the area was completely flat, and that I was completely alone.

Looking up, I saw three moons; but thought nothing of it.

Suddenly, the green grass turned blood red and the sky dulled into a shade of grey.

My little sister appeared in front of me… but not as I know her now. Instead, she was as I saw her before her 'death'.

A shadow loomed over me and I turned to face it.

Before me was my 'little' sister; the one I know now.

" **You abandoned me."**

My breath hitched, and a rancid smell hit my nostrils.

I gaged when I saw that I was now in a field of corpses. Human corpses.

" **YOU LET ME TURN INTO A MONSTER!"**

She lunged at me, her hands wrapping around my neck.

* * *

I shot out of my bed and landed on the floor with a loud thunk. I sat up and looked around the dark room, seeing that both my and my sister's partners were still asleep. My sister, though, was sat in a chair putting some shoes on. She nodded to me before motioning that I follow her out of the room.

The door clicked behind me. "Wanna talk about it?" She quietly asked.

I put on an unconvincing smile. "T- Talk about what? I'm fine… hehe…"

"You had a nightmare, and a bad one if your reaction was anything to go by. It's fine if you don't want to, but just know that…" She put her hand on my shoulder. "…I'm here if you need me, okay?" I nodded, and she started to turn away, but paused before she could get far. "It's a little after five right now, if you need to clear your head a little bit, you're free to join me in working out."

I hummed. "A- Actually, I think that sounds good." I let out a forced laugh. "Its not like I'll be getting any more sleep, anyway…"

She gave me a warm smile before nodding. "Great, I'll wait for you in the courtyard by the statue." With that, she departed with a wave, and I re-entered the room to get dressed.

About ten minutes later, my hair was bound in a messy ponytail and I had thrown on some workout gear, namely sweatpants and a tank top. I entered Beacon's courtyard half expecting for no one to be in sight, and initially, I was right… …until I looked to the side. Hanging from one of the streetlights, clad in her school shoes and what she called a 'bodyglove', was my sister; arm flexing as she did one-armed pullups.

She shot me a wave with her unused hand. "Hey sis, I'm juuuust aboooout… done!" she said as she did a backflip and landed perfectly on the ground. "So, whaddaya wanna do first?"

I blinked. "I thought you already had something planned?"

She shrugged. "To be honest, I was just gonna run the entire time."

"Well, let's do that for a bit then." We jogged in silence for several minutes while we found our pace. She stuck by me for every second, though I could easily tell that she was barely exerting herself. "Soooo…" I started. "Y- you didn't get a chance to tell me where you've… uhh… _been_ , all these years…"

"Heh… I guess I didn't…" She paused for a moment. "Well… I _could_ just say 'its classified' and leave it at that…" I gave her a glance before re-focusing on my running. "…But I'll just leave out the location names; you wouldn't know them anyway." She paused again. "So, I'll just say that I've been off-world this entire time."

I blinked, nearly tripping over a root that I failed to see in the darkness and eliciting a laugh from my sister. "U- uhh… _what?_ " She just grinned at me. "…I didn't even think that was possible…" She shrugged, the grin still plastered on her face. "Wait, does that mean you met aliens?" I asked, earnestly.

Her grin dropped. "…Yes."

I immediately caught her meaning. "I- I'm guessing they don't come in peace…"

"No." She sighed. "Look, can we just… not talk about _that_ part of space?"

I nodded. "Alright." I hummed in thought. "Well… how's about other planets?"

"What about 'em?" She asked.

"Well… what're they like?"

"Depends on the planet." She started. "The UEG terraformed a _lot_ of planets to be more Earth-like… or I guess _Remnant_ -like, depends on your perspective. Most planets are just airless rocks floating through space. Some worlds are covered in ice, others in lava, with a few just being rocky and even fewer being only desert or a planet-wide ocean."

I stayed silent for a minute, just trying to imagine walking on another world, as she had done. Its not that the idea never crossed my mind, I just never thought that I would _actually_ meet anyone who had done it before… and my sister no less! Just then, I felt a tug on my leg and I fell face-first into onto the dusty trail. "Owwww…"

My sister laughed before offering me a hand. "C'mon, we're not done yet." She said, flashing me a grin.

An idea popped into my head. "So, are there like, space Grimm out there? Like in Nova Wars?"

She gave me an amused look. "Heh, funny you should mention that… Grimm are a Remnant-specific thing."

My eyes widened, and I skidded to a halt. "Waitwaitwaitwait… So, you're telling me that literal _demons_ only exist on Remnant."

"Ayup."

I just gawked at her for a minute. "Okay, on one hand we have air, water, plants, dust, and whatever else I'm missing..." She nodded. "…but on the other… we have grimm…"

"Heh, well when you put it like that… it does sound kinda… bad… but that's not to say that the next planet over will be any better." I raised an eyebrow. "Sure, I might have made it sound like habitable planets are a dime-a-dozen, buuuut they kinda… aren't…" I sighed, and she continued. "Even if you could find a way to make dust work in space-"

"Well, they did, didn't they?" I interrupted.

"Yea… uhh… they didn't… Dust is another Remnant-specific thing."

I blinked for the i-don't-even-know-th time this morning. "You know what… let's just… save this for later…"

"Agreed." She said. Several more minutes went by and we ran in silence some more. She was no more exhausted than she was when we started, though I was starting to feel the burn. "Hey, can I ask you a question?" she asked.

"Uhh, sure, what is it?"

"Its something that I've been wondering for a while but… how old am i?"

I skidded to a stop for the second time this run. "W- What? How do you not know how old you are?"

She shrugged. "I really don't remember much from before I disappeared… Docs on O-" She cut herself off. "The docs said that I hit my head when I landed…" She sighed. "I've got permanent memory loss from it…"

My eyes widened. "W- How much _do_ you remember?"

Her head sank as she sighed. "Almost nothing… I remember you as a kid, though I could have _sworn_ your eyes were purple." I shifted at her statement. "A muscular, middle-aged blonde man, probably dad, a log cabin in a red forest, and… mom's cookies… That's about it, though…" She sighed again. "I didn't even remember anyone's names..."

I stared at her for a few seconds before I embraced her. "Fifteen."

"Wha-"

"You turned fifteen a day before I got to Beacon… so… three days ago now…" I said, solemnly.

She pulled away from me, though I could tell that it was not out of any malicious intent. "That… doesn't make any sense… I've been in UNSC space for _seventeen_ years." She had a look of confusion about her. "How many days are in a Remnant year?"

I raised my eyebrow. "About three-hundred-sixty-five, why?"

She sighed again. "Okay… something weird is goin' on here, well, more weird than dying twice and getting a third go at life…" she let out a chuckle. "I guess… how old was I when I… uhh… died?"

"Five… you've been gone about ten years now… well… from my point of view, I guess…"

She hummed. "So that would make me… twenty-two… heh, guess I'm the same age as…" She let her statement trail on as her small grin dropped. She paused before motioning me onwards. "C'mon, we're burning daylight." She said in an almost robotic tone.

I couldn't help but worry about her… I know that I haven't been the happiest since her 'death', as she put it, but something is obviously wrong with her too. However, another, less serious, train of thought existed in my head alongside the first one: 'Which one of us is _actually_ the big sister?'

* * *

I stood beside a bleary-eyed Blake, having been woken up by myself a scant fifteen minutes ago. "Alright team," Ruby addressed. "today I'm gonna see where everyone is in terms of fitness." I practically heard my partner's eyes widen. "First on the test is pullups, then situps, pushups, and finally a mile run. Partners will count for each other. For the first three tests, you will get one minute to do as many of the exercise as you can. The mile, however, is timed…" She giggled. "Word of advice: don't be last… Any questions?"

"Why do we have to do this, again?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked, Princess." Weiss's eye twitched. "Tell me, what're you training to be?"

She raised an eyebrow. "…A huntress?"

"Correct! Follow up question: What is your enemy?"

Her face twisted into one of complete confusion. "The Grimm, now where are you going with this?"

"Ah, just one more question:" She said with a smirk. "Do you think they'll care if you're too weak to fight them?"

Her confusion morphed into horror, which was mirrored by both me and, to a lesser extent, Blake. "I…" Her head dropped. "No… When do we start?"

"Right now," She gestured to one of the nearby streetlights. "Weiss, Blake, your up. Once you both are ready, I'll start the timer. Yang, count for your partner."

* * *

I was sprawled out on a nearby bench, my water bottle in hand, as a certain heiress crossed the finish line drenched in sweat. "9:42… You'd make the Corps with that time, but its not good enough for a huntress." My sister said as she tossed a water bottle to the now-collapsed Weiss. "Heh, maybe next time try running in something _other_ than heels."

Weiss ignored her comment as my partner eyed her curiously. "Uuuugggghhh how do you do this?!" she groaned in despair. "Seriously, you did everything with us… and did it like ten times better!"

Ruby shot her a grin. "Lots of practice." She giggled again. "Alright, five-minute break… then we start part two." She pulled up her scroll. "While Yang was slower than Blake with 9:23, she outclassed her in every other category, so she will go last for our next activity. Blake will go second because of her time of 9:16." She looked at her partner's sprawled form. "And that leaves Weiss to go first with a time of 9:42." She giggled again. "I suggest you enjoy your time resting, you have about… hmm… two minutes left…"

Weiss audibly groaned. "What are we even doing anyway?"

Ruby smirked. "Aura exhaustion training."

I blinked. "But… you can't prevent that! It just happens…"

"Nope! But you _can_ work through it." She jabbed a thumb at herself. "I'm living proof."

Weiss groaned again. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Nope!" She said, popping the 'P'. "How it works is that we need to deplete your aura and then have you continue to do exercises… Which means that you will each fight me until your aura breaks."

We all paled at the prospect of fighting her, given that we witnessed just how brutal of a fighter she is during initiation. "Wha- That's insane!" Weiss yelled.

"Lemmie put it this way: I'm training you now so that if your aura breaks on the battlefield, you can still defend yourself." She cracked her knuckles. "Break's over, by the way." Weiss sighed and turned towards the school. "Where are you going?"

She turned around and raised an eyebrow. "To get my weapon."

Ruby shook her head. "I already know how you fight with that… I'm also evaluating your unarmed skills. OH! That reminds me, we're all going into Vale this weekend to get you secondary weapons and armor if I can afford it."

Weiss, again, spoke up. "Why would we need either of those? We already have our weapons and aura negates the need for armor."

Ruby facepalmed and muttered something under her breath. "What if you lost your first weapon? What if your aura broke? I'm literally training you for that right now! You can't rely on any one thing to save you every time." Her serious tone adopted a grin. "Now, I believe Weiss owes me a spar…"

* * *

"Monsters! Deeeeeemons! Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names. But I merely refer to them as prey, ha HA!" Our new professor, Port if I recall correctly, joked… poorly… "Uhh, and you shall too upon graduating from this prestigious academy. Now as I was saying, Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise _treacherous_ world." Ruby snorted but remained quiet when the professor glared at her. "Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces. And that's where we come in… huntsmen… huntresses…" he said as he pointed at me and gave a creepy eyebrow-raise. "Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves… From what you ask? Why, the very world!"

A student in the back of the class shouted something and we all looked at him.

"That is what you are training to become… But first, a story… A tale of a young, handsome man… me. When I was a boy-" I tuned out the rest of his story, merely daydreaming. Though I was pulled out of it when he suddenly took a bow. "-The moral of the story? A true huntsman must be honorable." Ruby gave out a loud 'HA!'. "A true huntsman must be dependable." I looked to my sister, who seemed to nod. "A true huntsman must be strategic, well educated, and wise." She nodded at all three of his statements. "So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of this traits?"

Weiss's hand shot up. "I do, Sir!"

Ruby snorted. "Truly the humblest of them all, Princess…"

She glared at my sister. "How _dare_ you! I swear I'll-"

"Quiet!" The professor commanded and they both obeyed. Weiss's eyes were wide, showing her panic, whereas Ruby was completely calm. "I was only going to have one person fight a Grimm today, but it seems that I have two volunteers! Miss Schnee, Miss Rose, please gather your combat gear… Your opponents await."

Weiss stood up to go change whereas Ruby produced her two knives and a pistol, setting them down in front of her. The entire class gave her a confused expression. "You forgot one thing, Professor."

"Oh really? Do share, Miss Rose…"

She grinned. "A true huntsman is _always_ ready for combat."

"Right you are, now go change and-"

"No."

He was taken aback, and the door clicked shut in the background. "Excuse me, Miss Rose?"

She pointed at the door. "If the Grimm were to come through that door right now, do you think it would allow me to change into my armor?"

He put his hand up to his chin. "Hmm… I suppose not."

She nodded in affirmation. "I'll fight it right now, regardless of dress or armament."

He motioned to a cage that had just been revealed from behind a wall. "Very well, step forward and face your opponent."

She grabbed her weapons and stowed them all, adopting an unarmed combat stance facing the cage before nodding to the professor.

"Alright, let the match… BEGIN!" he said as he cut open the lock to the cage.

A Boarbatusk immediately charged out of the cage towards my sister. My eyes widened as she seemed to not move a muscle, save for the growing smirk on her face. A split second before they would collide, she spun out of the way and countered with a kick to its side, toppling it over. She wasted no time and immediately grabbed the grimm by its tusks. It tried to struggle, but moments later, a loud cracking sound echoed through the room. The Boarbatusk instantly stopped moving, not even squealing.

Everyone sat in silence as my sister walked back to her seat, barely acknowledging that anything had ever happened. Before anyone could speak, Weiss opened the classroom door, now clad in her combat skirt and wielding her rapier. The professor immediately took the opportunity to break the silence. "Well, it would seem that our second volunteer has arrived." He motioned to the cage. "Don't be shy now, step forward."

She nodded and stood opposite the cage before Port opened it, again using his axe. Behaving exactly like its fallen brethren, this Boarbatusk charged out from its cage straight at Weiss. She seemed tense, a lot more so than my sister, as she dodged the attack, meanwhile taking a swipe of her own at the grimm.

It was completely ineffective...

"Ha-ha, wasn't expecting that, were you?" Port commented, distracting my teammate for a split second.

They both charged each other, the Boarbatusk hitting her with its tusks and flinging her about, accidentally getting a grip on her rapier. They engaged in a battle of pure strength… one that I knew our Princess would lose. After a second or two of struggling, the Grimm wrenched the rapier free of her hands and flung it across the room.

I shot a glance at my sister and saw that her face was… oddly neutral… "Oh-ho, now what will you do without your weapon?" Port interjected. Back to the fight, the Grimm had charged Weiss once more, though she dodged with a roll to the side. She quickly ran to her weapon, sliding down to meet it before popping up again.

"Princess! The belly's unarmored!" My sister yelled.

She shot a glare towards my sister. "STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!"

Ruby raised an eyebrow but bit down any retort she likely had brewing, knowing that this was not the time to address anything. The Boarbatusk charged up for a spinning attack and Weiss created a barrier glyph just in time to stop it. The Grimm landed on its back and my teammate leaped off of a repulsion glyph before skewering it in the belly.

Right where my sister had told her to strike.

She stayed on the floor for a moment, catching her breath, while Port congratulated her on her win, calling her a 'true Huntress in training'. The bell rung seconds later, and she stormed out the door, my sister not far behind. I hesitantly followed them out, but they had run off to somewhere I didn't see. As I turned around to find my own partner, I nearly ran head-first into Professor Ozpin.

"Ah, Miss Xiao Long, just the young woman I was looking for."

I blinked. "Y- You wanted to see me, Professor?"

"Yes, I did." He took a sip of his coffee. "Please, follow me to my office."

* * *

"Am… Am I in trouble?" I sheepishly asked.

"No, Miss Xiao Long." He took another sip of his coffee. "On the contrary, I have a task for you."

I blinked. "Uh-umm…"

He put his hand up. "But first, there are two videos that you must see."

 **A screen flashed up on his desk, showing the interior of a dust shop. Suddenly, five men walked in. Four of them were dressed in black suits while the other one was…**

"Roman Torchwick?" I asked, causing him to nod.

 **Two of his goons split off while the other three held up the shopkeeper… …that was until my sister walked in. Suddenly, one of the goons rushed her. My eyes widened as he fell to the ground, gasping for air, after she hit him in the throat. She took his sword and threw it into the other guy's chest, killing him.**

 **Roman now stepped forward and punched her after a failed strike with his cane… it didn't go well, and he wound up on the floor. The other two goons attacked her from behind, but she either dodged or parried their strikes before retaliating with her pistol. Both fell to the ground, lifeless, one died from Roman's cane hitting him in the head, the other had three bullet wounds in his face.**

 **Roman had gotten back up at this point and decided to tackle Ruby. Needless to say, it was unsuccessful, and he ended up in a submission hold.**

Ozpin ended the video there. "Thoughts?"

…

"Miss Xiao Long?"

"…I…" I took a deep breath. "B- Blake said that she had killed before… but seeing it happen… its…" I trailed off.

"Brutal? Disturbing?" I nodded. "There is still one more video that I have for you to watch, then we will get to the purpose of this meeting."

I nodded as the screen reappeared. "This is in the Vale Police Department headquarters, shortly after the events of the previous recording."

 **Ruby stood against a wall near a table, a partially crumpled chair off to the side and a rough looking officer sat at her opposite. "State your name for the record."**

 **She answered in a robotic tone. "Spartan B-312."**

 **"That's not a name…" The officer deadpanned.**

 **"There are many like it, but this one is mine."**

I paused the video. "D- Does she mean that… there are others like her?"

Ozpin gave a chuckle. "That is what she implied, yes. Other… spartans, I do believe she called herself."

 **He resumed the video and the officer sighed. "Kingdom of origin?"**

 **"Classified."**

 **They stared at each other for a few seconds, the officer had a deadpan look on his face whereas my sister was oddly still. "I'll just put you down as being an Atlesian, then…" He wrote a few things down on his scroll tablet. "You killed four men tonight, why?"**

 **"They were hostile."**

 **"So was Torchwick."**

 **"White suit guy?" The officer nodded. "He looked important."**

 **The officer nearly dropped his scroll. "You mean that the _only_ reason you didn't kill one of the most wanted criminals on Remnant… was because he _looked_ _important_?"**

 **She shrugged. "Important people know things."**

 **He sat, silent, for the better part of a minute before speaking up again. "…Why _did_ you kill them?"**

 **"I already said-"**

 **"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" He sighed. "Why was your first reaction to kill them?"**

 **"They attacked me, why shouldn't it be?" She asked, earnestly.**

 **The officer shot up and slammed his hands down on the table. "BECAUSE THAT'S NOT HOW JUSTICE WORKS!" He reached for a pair of aura-suppressing handcuffs. "By the order of the Vale Police Department, I am-"**

 **Suddenly, the door swung open and Professor Goodwitch walked in. "Officer Brown?"**

 **"What?!" The officer responded.**

 **"You are relieved, I'll take over the interrogation from here." He mumbled something almost inaudible.**

I sat in shocked silence as the video ended. 'My sister really is a monster…' I thought to myself before shaking them away. 'No… she just needs help. I… I can fix this! I have to fix this! Ruby needs her sister…'

"As you can see, Miss Xiao Long, Miss Rose is quite dangerous-"

"She would never hurt me."

Ozpin gave a chuckle. "That is not what I am worried about, for you are correct… However, the same cannot be said for the rest of the student body."

"And how could we stop her?!" I took a deep breath. "We trained with her this morning… and I doubt we would even be a speed bump to her if she went berserk."

He again took a sip of his coffee. "The task I called you here for does not involve fighting her, Miss Xiao Long, for I fear that you are correct." He took a deep breath. "At first, I assumed her to be a sociopath with great fighting skill… However, her actions during the initiation this year have proven that there is more to her than what she has so far told us. Miss Xiao Long-"

"You want me to spy on her..." I deadpanned, putting the pieces together.

He hummed. "To put it bluntly, yes." He took another sip of his coffee. "Know that I would have asked you to 'spy on her', as you put it, regardless of her actions yesterday. They merely showed me that there is more to her than meets the eye."

I paused for a second. "…Why did you even invite her here?"

"As I said before, she is a dangerous woman… And it is far better to keep dangerous people where I can see them, as opposed to where I cannot." I nodded before getting up from my seat. "Miss Xiao Long-"

"I'm not doing this for _you_ …" I said, walking away. "…I'm doing this for _her_ …" Thankfully, he was unable to see the single tear that rolled down my cheek.

* * *

(A/N) And that's it for this chapter! Hope everyone enjoyed!

I think this one came out better than the last chapter, given that there wasn't anything that i was iffy about including... though i admit that i didn't really know how to write the last scene. Hopefully i did alright.

As for how Ruby changed out of her armor at the beginning, its more of me building on an idea in another fic, namely 'RWBY's Bizarre Adventures: Remnant Roses'. In which, Ruby can willfully turn any part of her body into rose petals and manipulate it in virtually any way she wants. Since clothes are obviously not a part of the human body (Or Crescent Rose, no matter how much Ruby denies it) I figure that she can also choose to turn anything that she touches as well. The question then becomes 'Can she choose to _not_ include some of her clothing?'. I think the answer is yes, buuut having a naked Ruby running around is a bit weird... even if I aged her up. Thus, i gave her a bodyglove (the black suit you see under the white plates in stormtrooper or clone trooper armor) to run around in. Idk if something like that is already cannon in Halo, so i'm just saying that its what a Spartan typically wears underneath all the standard MJOLNIR armor. Also, i couldn't find how long it actually takes to change in and out of a suit of MJOLNIR, but another fic (I can't remember which one) used the five hour figure and I liked it.

Anyways, on to the reviews!

 **seraphimnight** \- Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. And yea, changing perspectives in first person can be a little weird, though i try to clue everyone in as to who's thoughts you're hearing as soon as possible.

 **evevee** \- Yea, it is a bit weird that Ozpin instantly dismissed her as dead. Though this chapter may shed some light as to why. Also, any normal initiate would have something like a 99% mortality rate from what she went through, so it was pretty easy for him to just write her off to both Yang and Blake. As for the armor... yea... my bad. I got an idea in my head that she should do a grenade jump and, in game, that would hurt you. So i just made her take a _tiny_ bit of damage without looking up how strong MJOLNIR is _cannonically_. I might come up with some BS reason that _that_ particular grenade managed to punch a hole or two in the weaker sections of the armor, idk.

 **Soundwave's Cassette Store** \- Thanks! And i certainly plan on it.

 **Guest 001** \- Huh, forgot about that little tidbit. I guess the name of the medal fits even more than i intended it to. Based on damage dealt in the Halo games and also the damage Ruby does to the unarmored grimm(?) in the Red Trailer, i would say that dust-based weapons are superior in terms of power, though not working out of atmo is a huuuuuuuge drawback. For balance purposes, though, i'll probably make UNSC weapons superior to their Remnant equivalents. As for Ruby's weapon situation specifically... that'll be addressed in two chapters time.

 **Guest 002** \- Yep! More is on the way!

 **I Drink Diesel** \- Yea... that is _definitely_ a plot point in this arc... actually it'll get addressed next chapter.

\- Yea, i could've dragged it on a bit longer... but i couldn't figure out how to do it without it devolving into a Q and A session. It might be just me, but i kinda hate those. Also, i thought it would work better if i dragged it out to be an always-present side-plot in the story. Thus, their initial reunion needed to be Yang spilling out all the tears that she's held for the decade or so that Ruby's been gone.

 **Mecharic** \- Blake's behavior in chapter 1 was due to a few things imo: 1) Ruby just admitted to killing potentially more people than Blake ever met, given that she's an introvert. 2) Blake is in a _very_ emotional state after just leaving Adam like, an hour ago? a little more? either way, she's not really... there at the moment... case in point, she literally asks Ruby why she trusts her. 3) Remnant's population is _very_ small for a civilized society, i'd estimate anywhere from 50-200 million based on the fact that there are only four proper cities on the entire planet. Thus, while killing a single person carries about the same punishment as anywhere else, the threshold between mass-murder and something like genocide is _much_ lower in the minds of the people... and Ruby probably crossed it... Now, the only reason Blake acted the way she did in ch2 was because it was literally the only thing i could think of... and i toned down her meltdown... (It was a mistake in the first place)

Well, that's all! See ya in the next chapter titled '...Or Human Being?'


	4. Or Human Being?

And here's the last chapter for the 'Badge and the Burden' arc, with a little something mixed in, of course. Next chapter, things can finally start to get moving, timeline wise.

As for the RWBY timeline itself, Jaundice is the next cannon event, though it won't be happening for another 2-4 chapters.

Also, classes started this week for me, and i have no idea how this'll effect my upload schedule. It may stay the same or it may be slightly less, i really can't say at this time.

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 3/27/19.

* * *

Chapter Four - …Or Human Being?

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Beacon Academy /-\

* * *

As I stormed away from the classroom, I heard my partner call out to me. "Weiss! Wait up!" I ignored her and kept walking, though she eventually caught up to me. "Weiss, what was that? Talk to me and we can-"

"Do what, Ruby?!" I shouted as I stopped. "This entire time, you have done _nothing_ but boss everyone around!"

"Hah! That's rich comin' from the team's resident Princess."

My eye twitched and I finally lost it. I shoved her away. "Ugh! You are nothing but a brute with an o-"

Any semblance of sympathy and understanding drained from her face… "Do _not_ compare me to those apes!" …Only to be replaced with anger. "They are nothing but _filthy_ animals that don't even deserve the bullets I used to kill 'em!" She shouted before bringing her face to within an inch of mine. "If you think I'm nothing more than a Brute… just wait 'til _they_ find this place… _They'll_ make the grimm look like cuddly fucking kittens in comparison."

I blinked as my leader stormed off to who knows where. I briefly thought about pursuing her, though I dismissed it almost instantly. "Hmph… What a child…"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind me. "Pot callin' the kettle, Miss Schnee…"

I whipped around. "Professor Peach?" I asked, surprised. Before me was a Rabbit Faunus in her mid-30's. Being the survival instructor, she was allowed to dress in a little more… practical clothing, though I wouldn't be caught dead in such attire. She wore a beige vest with several pockets over an olive-green shirt, matching her eyes, with sleeves that came to just below her elbows. Around her left bicep she had tied a dark-red bandana and wore gloves of the same color. She had a wooden recurve bow slung over her torso and a hardened leather quiver on her back. On her right hip sat her secondary weapon, a large kukri. To round off her outfit, she wore grey cargo pants, leather boots, and had an, again dark red, bandana tied loosely around her neck. Her auburn hair was tied in a loose bun, though I personally detested the green leaves that it always held. "What can I do for you?" I offered.

"You can start by apologizing to Miss Rose." She said. "Though I'd imagine that she needs to do the same for you."

I blinked. "With all due respect, ma'am, for what do I need to apologize for?"

She stared at me for a moment. "Your teammate, no, your _partner_ stormed off in anger… that is _always_ grounds for an apology, Miss Schnee." My head sank. "That said, the name 'brute' did seem to set her off more than it should have… Hmm…" she said as she stroked her chin in thought.

I sighed. "I guess I should go find my leader then…" I said as I started to walk away.

"Wait." She said. "Not yet, give her some time to cool off… And you could probably use some yourself…"

"Yes… I suppose…"

We stood there for several seconds, I stared at the ground, contemplating whether or not I should ask for her advice… "Something's still bothering you…" …before she made the decision for me…

"Y- Yes ma'am…" I took a deep breath. "Do you think Ozpin makes mistakes?"

"HA! The old man makes 'em all the time!" Seeing my serious expression, her tone shifted. "You think that assigning you to team RWBY was a mistake, don't you?"

"No, I think Ruby's appointment to leader was the mistake." I said bluntly.

She sighed. "Miss Schnee, you _are_ aware of how long the team has been together, right?"

"Oh, I am very much aware! It has been a full da… … …oh…" I said, my confidence wavering at the end of the sentence.

She giggled. "'Oh' is right, Miss Schnee…" She paused. "Tell me, was your grandfather always a charismatic and wise leader?"

"… No…"

"…Which means he had to acquire those traits." She gave me a warm smile. "Miss Rose has yet to grow into her position. As both her partner and her teammate, it is your responsibility to help her along that path. I believe she can be a great leader one day… do you?"

I thought on her question for a moment. "…Possibly."

"Then you know what you need to do… Farewell, Miss Schnee."

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna /-\

* * *

As I strode down the hallway, my thoughts turned back to the argument that I heard between my leader and her partner. I only heard bits and pieces even with my enhanced Faunus senses, namely the phrases 'Filthy animal' and 'Just wait 'til they find this place'. Though it was the way she said them that had me concerned.

For the first phrase, I immediately thought that she meant the Faunus as a whole, given that it is one of the many derogatory names that the humans have come up for us. Her second statement, though, is what gave me pause in my initial assessment. She said it like she knew something was coming, something _terrible_. If anything could be gathered from this, it was that Ruby Rose was hiding something… though I already knew that…

I sighed as I reached for the knob on our door and opened it. Inside, my partner was slumped against a desk and didn't even acknowledge me in any way. Even though she is the reason why I'm on the reason with a mass-murdering maybe-psychopath and her partner, the daughter of the devil himself, I felt that, as her partner, I owed it to her to at least _try_ to cheer her up.

I reached for her shoulder and- "Don't." She commanded in a half-somber half-angry tone. I obeyed, retracting my hand before she let out a sigh. "S- sorry… I just wanna be alone right now…" I nodded and headed over to my bunk, grabbing a book on my way.

Over the next several minutes, my hidden ears picked up the faint sounds of well-suppressed sobbing. I inwardly sighed as I closed my book, placing it back on the bookshelf for later.

I strode over to my partner and put my hand on her shoulder, this time with no verbal resistance. She made a confused face as I pulled her up and led her to my bed, sitting her down next to me. She opened her mouth to speak, but I quickly covered it with my hand. "What's wrong?" I commanded before removing my hand.

Her deep blue eyes scanned the room for a moment, refusing to meet my own as I stared into her very soul. Eventually, she relented, though she was sill unable to meet my gaze. "I… We need… Ruby… You…" I covered her mouth again.

"No more words, just nod." I commanded, receiving a nod and promptly uncovering her mouth. "Is this about Ruby?" She nodded. I hummed in thought, unsure of what to ask next. "Is it about her past?" I eventually said, receiving a hesitant nod. "You want to help her somehow." She nodded, and I peered over to the desk she was hunched over, seeing some papers on them. "You were working on something." She nodded. "Did it have to do with your problem?" She again nodded. "Wait here."

I walked over and examined the papers, only to find- "Yang, these are blank..." I deadpanned as I looked to my partner, who merely nodded. Suddenly, it clicked. "You didn't get anywhere, did you?" She shook her head. "What were you trying to do?"

She took in a deep breath, and after a second, spoke up. "W- we need to help her…"

I raised an eyebrow. "With what?"

She made a fist and slammed it into the bed. "I don't know!" The ferocity in her face faded, replaced once more by sorrow. "S- She needs help…" She sighed. "Ozpin showed me… He showed me what she did…" I raised an eyebrow. "I already knew she killed people, lots of them… but it was the _way_ she did it… She didn't even think about letting them live. The only reason why Torchwick is even alive right now is because she thought he looked important…"

I blinked. "Torchwick? The guy that broke out of jail yesterday?"

"Yeah… _that_ Torchwick…" she responded, her head sinking a little more.

I looked around the room for anything we could use. My eyes immediately fell upon her armor. I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious as to what she stored in it, or where it came from. "Well, we could start by finding out more about her."

"A- and how do we do that?" I smirked and motioned towards the empty suit resting on its rack. Her eyes widened. "D- don't you think we should uhh... ask her before we touch her stuff?"

I shook my head. "You know she'll just say no. If we want to find out about her, this is a good starting point." She tried to retort, but the words seemed to die in her throat. I shrugged as I started pawing through the many pouches on her suit's chest. In the corner of my eye, I saw my partner hesitantly pick up the suit's armored helmet, though I paid no attention to her.

Three out of the four large pouches, including the large one, held nothing interesting; ammo, electronics of some kind, and nothing, respectively. It was the fourth, diagonally placed, pouch that held something interesting. My eyes widened as I pulled out four chains, each with a pair of inscribed metal plates on them. I looked over each, the second plate was identical on each one, saying something about a place called 'Reach', wherever that was… The first plate, however, held names. Jorge-052, Jun-A266, Carter-A259, and Emile A-239, respectively.

I looked over to my partner to share my findings and saw her waving her hand in front of her face in various ways, obviously testing how much the helmet allowed her to see. "Having fun?" I said with a smirk.

"U- uhh, actually… kinda…" I raised my eyebrow. "I don't know how, but… its like I'm not even wearing a helmet, it's just… comfy…" She said, I was sure that she wore a smirk underneath that helmet. She moved over to Ruby's weapons and picked one up. "…Woah…"

"What?" I asked in genuine curiosity.

She put the weapon back down before picking it back up, then repeating the process several times. "This thing tracks ammo!"

"That's… handy, I suppose."

"Yeah!" She said with a level of excitement that I hadn't seen before, though she calmed down a moment later. "So, uhh, what did you find?"

I presented her with the chains that I found in one of the pouches. "These."

She examined them for a moment. "…We should put these back…" She said in a somber tone.

"Why?"

"Well, during the Great War, soldiers without aura wore tags like these so that if they died, they could be identified…" My eyes widened at the implication. "Blake, I… I think these were her friends…"

I nodded. " _Were_ … Yeah, I'll put them back…" I did as I said and when I turned back to face my partner, she had taken the helmet off. "How did you know about that, anyway?"

"Just a little thing I remembered from history class at Signal." She sighed before looking at the clock in on our wall. "I think that's enough snooping for right now… we should get to class…" She said, somberly.

"Yeah…" I agreed, shutting the door behind me as we set out for our next class.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Emerald Forest /-\

* * *

I extracted my knife from the last Ursa Minor that had engaged me before I let out a deep breath. I flicked the non-existent blood off of my knife, more out of habit than anything else, before sheathing it; in the process, my fingers brushed against something metal that hung from my waist. I sat down on a nearby tree stump and freed it from my waist, holding it by the chain.

I sighed as I read the inscription aloud. "Lisette B-276…" I closed my eyes and tried to picture her… and, for a moment, It worked. A smile came to my face as I saw her back at Camp Currahee. She gave a warm smile and brushed a hand through her short, blonde, hair. Suddenly, the scene flashed to a red, sandy, hellscape and the only person I had ever truly called a friend lay in pieces… rent apart by the hammer of a Brute Chieftain.

My eyes snapped open and I gasped. I looked around, assuring myself that it wasn't real before breathing a sigh of relief. I retied the dog tags around my waist, right beside Kat's tag, before pulling out my mother's silver rose. "…Hey mom…" I gave the emblem a warm smile. "Sorry its been a while since we talked… I've…" My eyes trailed down to my skirt, a sight that I was still very unused to seeing… "…been busy…" I sighed. "I don't know how… but I got off Reach… and wound up back home…" I rubbed the memento with my thumb. "I got into Beacon… Ozpin said you used to go here… heh, like mother like daughter, I guess…" I quickly checked the time and a grin came to my face when I realized that I still had a few more minutes, but it quickly faltered when I remembered what I wanted to talk to her about.

"…I…" I sighed. "…I got assigned as squa- err _team_ leader… …I don't know how to lead them…" I looked away as I thought back to my, albeit brief, time on Noble Team, on what Carter would do, before I realized that I was doing _exactly_ what he would do… "They're not military… They don't take orders, they need more than just ammo and enemies to shoot…" I sighed again. "How do I be a good leader?"

"You can start by talking to them." A voice from the bushes said.

I immediately stowed my memento and drew my sidearm. "Show yourself!"

She came out with her hands up. "Easy, tiger. I'm not gonna hurt cha." I finally got a good look at the girl. She wore a brown sweater underneath a black half-corset and matching scarf. Around her waist sat an ammo belt with a crosshairs emblem decorating its buckle. She also wore black designer pants and high-heeled boots of the same color. For accessories, she appeared to be carrying a large black handbag while wearing a pair of aviators and a black beret. I kept my gun trained on her. "Can ya lower the gun?" she said with a smile.

"Who are you and why are you out here?" I demanded.

She smirked. "I'm Coco, me and my team were sent out here to find a student that ran off. I'm guessing that's you."

I processed her words for a second, trying to see if I could detect any lies. When I couldn't, I lowered my weapon, but still kept it at a low ready. "I didn't run off, I just needed to clear my head."

She put her hands down. "And naturally, the first place you go is a Grimm-infested forest."

I shrugged. "I have my preferences and you have yours… Fashionable…" She raised an eyebrow. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Don't worry, just the last sentence." She said with a dismissing wave. She lowered her aviators for a second. "By the way, love the suit cha got on under your uniform. Where'd ya get it?"

"You wouldn't know." I deadpanned.

"Oh? Try me. Like you said, I'm…" She did a twirl. "… _Fashionable_."

I sighed. "…It doesn't exist anymore."

"Damn…" She swore under her breath. "Well, anyway… you wanted to know how to be a good leader?"

I raised an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, would you know about that?"

"Well…" She said with a smirk. "I happen to be the leader of team CFVY, we're a second-year team."

I raised an eyebrow. "Coffee? And here I thought RWBY was ridiculous…" She shot me a glare. "Alright, alright! Lay it on me, I guess…"

"Well, I don't really know your situation, so just generally take things seriously. That's what helped me in the past."

"That's my problem, though! I'm used to a very strict and structured military system, not… whatever you huntsmen guys have…"

She sighed. "Let's walk 'n talk, your class starts in like… half an hour or so." I nodded, and we began walking. "You said you're used to the military system, right?" I nodded. "Well… maybe you should stop treating your teammates like subordinates and more like your friends."

I groaned. "And how am I supposed to do that?! The only friend I ever had was-" I cut myself off before I said something along the lines of 'was a super soldier like me'... "Just tell me what I should do, alright?"

She raised her eyebrow and lowered her glasses an inch or so. "Treat 'em like your friends. Hang out, study together, just get to know them. I'm sure you'll all get along fine in the end."

I sighed. "Well, that's probably the best advice I'll get…" I said as we headed back to Beacon.

* * *

Tense silence enveloped us as we exited Doctor Oobleck's history class. We had all four been silent for the entirety of his lesson, though seeing as it was the first day, it was mainly going over what was to be covered in the class. Finally, I spoke up. "Can you guys meet up with us later? I… need to have a discussion with my partner." They nodded and walked off somewhere. I turned to my partner. "Follow me, I know a place we can talk." I said, my commanding voice absent, to which I received a nod.

I shut the door behind us with a click, locking us in one of the less-used classrooms on a far-flung end of campus. I sighed. "I… would like to apologize for my earlier behavior." I blinked, not expecting her to apologize at all, much less before _I_ did.

I quickly recovered from my surprise and reciprocated the sentiment. "Yeah… I said some things that I probably shouldn't've too…" I started. "Look, I had the wrong mindset coming into this… I thought I could lead you guys as soldiers… despite that being very far from what you are."

She raised an eyebrow. "And what would that make us, then?" She asked, her tone more curious than irritated.

"Huntresses." I said without hesitation. "Soldiers are disciplined, well-trained warriors meant to hold the line against the enemy… whoever or _whatever_ that may be. Huntsmen… you're a different breed altogether. Some would say you're special forces, others might claim you to be heroes from a fairy tale… To be honest, I think you're a bit of both…" I explained.

"While that may be true, I couldn't help but notice…" She crossed her arms. "…you used 'you' instead of 'we', implying you're something else."

"Yeah… I'm not a huntress." I sighed. "I promise I'll tell everyone exactly _what_ I am eventually… for now, just be happy with the fact that I'm good in a fight." She nodded in agreement before I continued. "For the future, though, don't call me a Brute… there's some… _history_ , with that name…" I trailed off.

She nodded. "Acceptable, I would also ask that you not call me a princess. As I have worked hard for the opportunity to attend this academy… far harder than a princess from some fairy tale would be capable of." She said, tension in her voice.

"Alright, I guess I have been going a little overboard with the whole 'Princess' thing…"

She gave a thankful smile. "Thank you." She sighed. "We should probably get going."

I nodded, and we headed out the door.

* * *

We entered our dorm room to the sight of my sister sprawled out on her bed, already changed into her normal attire. A second later, Blake stepped out of the bathroom having changed as well. I cleared my throat, gaining everyone's attention. "I would like to announce that it is no longer mandatory to attend my morning workouts." A sigh of relief emanated from Blake. "…That said, if anyone would like to join me, the offer still stands. It'll start at five every morning, though if you wanted to join at six I wouldn't hold it against you." Receiving a nod of approval from everyone, I continued. "Alright, with that out of the way… does anyone wanna do anything for the rest of the day?"

"Well I, for one, was going to study."

"Uhh, study what? We didn't get anything assigned." My sister remarked.

"Hmph," She crossed her arms. "it never hurts to get a head start on academics."

I looked over to Blake for her input… …only to see her already nose-deep in one of her many, many books that she brought with.

"Well… normally I just train whenever I'm not busy… but your uhh, workout kinda wore me out, sis." Yang said. "To be honest… I'd just like to sleep."

I sighed. "Alright… well, seeing as I have nothing better to do and my partner has a valid point... mind if I join you, Weiss?"

She seemed shocked and slightly recoiled, though her composure re-asserted itself almost instantly. "No, its fine." She let a smirk cross her face. "I have just the subject in mind."

* * *

I punched the air a few times as I jogged back into Beacon's courtyard, just finishing my ten-mile warmup run. I checked my scroll, 5:53am. I downed some more water before beginning my calisthenics, starting with one-handed pullups.

As I just finished my first dozen, I heard a sigh come from behind me. "Must you always show off?"

I recognized the voice instantly, though instead of immediately acknowledging her, I decided to do something show-ey. Still with only one hand, I shot myself up above the pole before grabbing it during descent and using it to swing myself over to the voice. I landed with barely a sound and a smirk crawled its way onto my face. "How's that for showing off?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I swear, the universe put me on your team just to make fun of me…" Suddenly, a slight blush formed on her face. "And must you wear that skin-tight suit of yours everywhere?"

"Heh, 'least it's comfy… same can't be said with your heels, Prin- err... Weiss." I cut myself off before I said it.

She gave a small smile. "Thank you." Suddenly, she remembered what I _actually_ said. "Concerning the heels… they may or may not be the only type of shoes I currently own." She said, her tone as close to sheepish as a princess like her could get.

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "…You mean to tell me that you were expecting to fight in the wilderness… to do high-precision, high-speed maneuvers, probably _in_ said wilderness… and you only brought heels?" I deadpanned.

She involuntarily shrank a tiny bit. "Possibly…"

I sighed. "We're getting you some proper boots this weekend." She opened her mouth to object, though I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "Look, I know you like heels," I said softly, trying to reign in my militaristic tendencies. "…but they just aren't _practical_ in a combat situation."

She crossed her arms. "I thought you said that you recognized we aren't soldiers."

"I did." I responded. "But that doesn't mean you can't _learn_ from them." A smirk crossed my face. "After all, you _will_ be charging face-first into hell…" My smirk dropped as I remembered my first mission, though I quickly recovered and moved on with the conversation. I noticed that my partner had raised an eyebrow, I waved her off. "Anyway, what brings you out here… Ice Queen?"

Her eye twitched before she sighed. "I suppose that one is… acceptable…" she regained her composure. "And as much as it pains me to admit, my physical abilities are… _lacking_ , compared to yours…"

I gave her a light punch on the shoulder. "Heh, that's the spirit." I said with a smirk, though it grew when I realized that I had knocked her back a foot or so.

"Ugh, you are such a br-" She cut herself off before a smirk of her own showed itself. "Oaf." She gauged my reaction, which hadn't changed. "Yes, you are such an Oaf."

"Heh, well, this oaf'll whip you into shape." She groaned, knowing that she will absolutely hate this. "Well, get limbered up. The first mile starts in about five minutes." I paused for a moment while she started stretching. "By the way, is anyone else coming?"

She shook her head. "No, Yang said she was too sore from yesterday and Blake just wanted to sleep."

"Ah," I nodded. "well, let's get to it, then."

* * *

I kept to my partner's pace, as I had done with my sister the previous day, though her pace was far too slow for me to actually achieve anything for myself. "Ruby," My partner started, getting my attention. "can I ask you something?"

I shrugged. "Sure pin- err Ice Queen, shoot."

She sighed. "During your… _premature funeral_ , your sister said that you had disappeared for around a decade. Out of curiosity, where were you?"

"Since you're the only one who doesn't actually know on our team, I'll just tell you the same thing I told her. I can't tell you the official locations, but I was in space."

I glanced over to her and saw that she had raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe you, dust doesn't work outside of the atmosphere."

I smirked. "Heh, who said we were using dust at all?" Her eyes widened. "Just like aura, semblances, and Grimm, dust is a Remnant-exclusive thing."

"I… how is that even possible?!" She just about yelled. "None of our civilization would be feasible without dust! And yet, you're telling me that it only exists on Remnant?!"

"Yep." I said, popping the 'P'. "If ya want proof, I'll show you some of my ammo. You'll very quickly realize that it doesn't use any dust whatsoever."

She was silent for a moment. "…What _do_ they use, then?"

"Well, the UNSC mainly uses gunpowder for our weapons and deuterium fusion reactors for shipboard propulsion systems… I don't know what kinda space-magic the covvies use though." I said, internally wincing when I realized that I accidentally mentioned _them_.

For once, she had a look of complete and utter bewilderment upon her face. "doo-tier-ium?"

I internally laughed at her reaction. "Yeah, I'm kinda fuzzy on the whole nuclear science thing, but the short version is that you take some weird hydrogen, smash it together, and it makes energy."

Her look of confusion deepened for a moment before she sighed. "Okay… maybe you were in space. But how did you even get there to begin with?"

"To be honest… I have no idea…" She raised an eyebrow. "The last thing I remember was that I was about to die, and I knew it, then there was a bright white light and I woke up on an ONI prowler. Same thing happened on Reach… Just ask Blake what happened next, she saw me fall from orbit."

At this point, my partner began to show her exhaustion. "I will. How much further do we have to run?"

I decided to put on an encouraging face and slipped back into my less formal speech pattern. "Not much more, keep goin'! You're doin' great!" I said, knowing that we were in our last quarter-mile. Her fading confidence was replaced by determination and she sped ahead, though I was easily able to keep pace. We practically crashed back into Beacon's courtyard and my partner almost immediately collapsed onto a bench. I produced a canteen and handed it to her. "Drink up, we've still got strength training to get to." She accepted it with a groan, likely already regretting her decision to join me this morning.

* * *

(A/N) On Torchwick getting busted out of jail already, I kinda wanted the WF to proceed with their little robbery spree, and they needed his assistance for it. I know it kinda invalidates Ruby's actions during ch1, but it also somewhat establishes Ruby as Torchwick's nemesis... though I'm sure she doesn't see it that way. Also, the VPD is, in my opinion, riddled with incompetence given that they can't actually handle the WF. And, yeah, I know they're _supposed_ to be an actual terrorist cell... buuuuut the way they're portrayed in the show paints a different picture entirely.

Other than that, I don't actually have much to say here... besides that Blake should keep her hands off other people's stuff. On to the reviews!

UNSC SIII-2142 Col. CS Reaper - Sorry i missed your review last time, must've just fallen through the cracks. And yeah, i figured that it would be somewhat unrealistic if someone with her background _didn't_ swear at least occasionally... though she's a far cry from swearing like a sailor like I originally had her do.

Mecharic - Yeah... uhh those 3-4k kills were actually innies... mostly. Keep in mind that Blake asked Ruby if she killed 'People', and Ruby does not consider covvies to be people, thus she doesn't add them to her kill count.

raw666 - Yeah, a more protocol oriented Spartan would probably say something along those lines... Ruby just likes to mess with authority figures. Also Ozpin has constantly shown that he likes to roll the dice, notably when he sent a first year team on their first mission to address a matter of national, if not global, security... yea, he doesn't think things through sometimes...

Zero - The line itself is a bit cheesy, but she will probably end up saying _something_ along those lines. And yea, no stoppin' the killing machine any time soon... of course she may dial it back a bit, but if she faces someone like, say, Tyrion, one of 'em will be leaving in a bodybag.

Guest 1 - Spot on, though i'm just gonna flat out say that The Flood will not be making an appearance in this fic... mainly because Remnant would be _fucked_ if it did.

evevee - Yea, it is a bit hand-wavey... but its also really cool.

Guest 2 - I have no idea what you're talking about so I'm just gonna nod and say yes.

DRMAK - Thanks! And you'll just have to wait and see about the UNSC tech.

Guest 3 - I actually don't know what this Ruby would do if she found out about Jaune, though it is interesting to think about. She'd definitely berate him for being stupid, though I'm torn between if she would either make it mandatory for him to attend her workout sessions or if she would just straight up report him to Ozpin... and then find out he already knows... Either way, its an interesting can-o-worms that I'm not sure if I'll open or not...

seraphimnight - Thanks!

And that's all the reviews! Thanks everyone, and stay tuned for the next chapter, titled: "The Dance of Red and Silver".


	5. The Dance of Red and Silver

Okay, as for the upload schedule... its probably gonna be closer to one chapter per week than I originally thought. That's okay, just a little disappointing on my end. Oh well.

Buuut because of labor day, I got this chapter out while still getting everything else done. Anyways, on with the show!

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 3/27/19.

* * *

Chapter Five – The Dance of Red and Silver

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Vale /-\

* * *

"I still don't see why you think we need secondary weapons, Ruby." My partner stated as we walked the streets of Vale. Now that it was daylight, I could finally assess the architecture of the city proper. Its layout looked to be an amalgam of different styles, with older sections being host to narrow streets that were shared by both pedestrians and motorists alike, the hallmark of a historic European city. Newer sections were built much like 21st century American cities with wide streets and narrow sidewalks, promoting separation between people and cars. The actual architecture was also an amalgam, and I was able to identify every type of building from the medieval plaster and timber houses of the Holy Roman Empire all the way up to towering, glass-lined skyscrapers commonly seen in the classical United States.

"Heh, says the girl that got disarmed in class." I joked.

She looked away in embarrassment. "That was… a miscalculation..." My partner said as we walked into a local weapons shop.

"Welcome! How can I help you fine young ladies?" The shopkeeper asked. I slid him a rather crude drawing of an MA5B that I made, rough dimensions included, with specifications written on the back. "Hmm… I see… Well, this is certainly an interesting design. We don't get many requests for bullpups, and I do believe that you are first to request an ammunition counter be installed… Not to fear, though, I can have it ready by the end of the week."

"Perfect," I said, grinning. "I'd also like an additional three copies made, though without the… _special features_."

He nodded. "Ah, would you still like the ammo counter on the copies?"

I turned to my team. "Well, what do you guys think? They'll be your sidearms, after all."

They all shared a look between themselves. "Uhh, sis… I don't know about you buuuut… we're not really fond of assault rifles."

I waved her off. "Nah, I'm sure you'll come around! At close range, you can unload 15 rounds a second into an enemy. If you're at mid-range, the 7.62x51mm FMJ rounds are more than enough to put down smaller Grimm using short, controlled bursts. Plus, its got a built-in flashlight."

Weiss was the next one to voice her concerns. "Don't people usually carry something… _smaller_ as a sidearm?"

"Usually, yes. But, me being me, I like to have something I can really rely on as a backup." They all looked unconvinced. "I said I was paying for your sidearms, so what's the hang-up?"

"Huntsmen usually make their own weapons," Blake explained. "its to learn their intricacies and their oddities. But we often form bonds with them that are very difficult to sever. I think I speak for everyone when I say that having a 'sidearm' be just as effective at doing its job as our main weapon kinda feels like… betrayal…" The other two nodded in agreement.

"I may not have made Myrtenaster myself, but I have had her for years and she has seen every second of my training."

"And I… uhh… actually used some help from the weapon magazines you used to read to build Ember Celica."

"My parents helped me build Gambol Shroud. With my mom assisting me with making the ribbon and my dad helping me at the forge."

I blinked. "I… uhh… didn't consider that…" I stood there silently while thinking of a solution. "Well, if you guys like building your own weapons, why don't we do that?" Blake raised her eyebrow. "And besides, they're _sidearms_ , as in, only use them when you _need_ to. Like, out of ammo or disarmed. All I want is for you guys to be proficient in their use, you don't have to fully substitute your main weapon for them."

A tense silence reigned for several minutes while they thought it over. Eventually, Weiss sighed. "I… suppose you make some logical points." She thrust her finger up to my face. "Though I'll not have some common blacksmith make me a weapon!" She said, earning a scowl from the shopkeeper. "It's time I made my own equipment."

I nodded and turned to the rest of my team.

Blake's shoulders slumped, and she muttered something under her breath. "I… _agree with Weiss._ " She said, the strain obvious in her voice. It looked as if I was the only one that noticed, though.

We all turned to my sister, who had yet to voice her decision. "I've uhh... always wanted to help you build your own weapon, I guess this is the next best thing." She said, giving me a slight, but genuine grin.

I nodded and turned back to the shopkeeper. "Well, I guess its settled. We won't be needing the three copies, though I'd still like my weapon as I originally described it."

He nodded and pressed a few buttons on his cash register. "Alright, ma'am, I'll need to see some ID before I can sell you this weapon, though." I flashed him my Beacon ID and he smiled. "Alright, everything seems to be in order, that'll be… 1,879 Lien." I nodded and paid him in full. Ozpin had given me a lump sum of around three-thousand Lien to get me started, though he expected it to be re-paid when I was able. "Pleasure doin' business with you, ma'am, your order will be ready by this coming Friday."

I nodded and lead the team out of the store. "Geez sis, what'd ya put in that thing?"

"I'm guessing that was expensive for a weapon?" She nodded. "Hehe… you'll see…" I said, a grin plastered on my face. I started leading my team towards the clothing store when I heard Blake's stomach rumble. She reflexively grabbed it and her face reddened in embarrassment. "Hungry?" I asked, receiving a hesitant nod. "Alright, well… I'm just fine, how's everyone else?"

"I could go for a burger." My sister answered.

Weiss rolled her eyes shortly before her stomach growled too. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "I suppose I may be a bit peckish..."

With that, I lead the way to a reasonably rated café nearby. We placed our orders before a question suddenly popped into my head. "Oh, by the way, are Beacon students allowed to take on missions in their free time?"

"It depends." My partner answered. "Before our first official mission during the second semester, we are only allowed to take on tier zero missions, and only as a full team. Depending on our grade during the official mission, students are usually allowed to take up to tier two missions as a full team, though exceptions have been made."

A smirk grew on my face. "Well team RWBY," I started, throwing one of my arms around an empty chair next to me. "how do ya guys feel about goin' on a mission next weekend?"

Blake crossed her arms. "Tier zero missions are generally just patrols to supplement a local police force, maybe along the city wall if you're lucky."

"Damn." I responded. "That changes things…" A few seconds passed before a smirk showed itself on my face. "Well… how's about an 'unofficial' mission, then?" I said, throwing up some air quotes.

They all shared another look. "W- What'd you have in mind?"

"Well, dear sister, I may or may not have discovered some less than moral people doing some less than noble things both within and without the city of Vale." I giggled. "I think its about time we 'liberated' some of their… less-than-legally-obtained possessions."

Blake and Yang looked unsure whereas my partner merely raised an eyebrow. "And why would _I_ want to join you? I'll have you know that I come from a very wealthy family."

I smiled. "Well, aside from the fact that some of said possessions include some Schnee Company munitions-grade dust… It's a fact that you can never have too much combat experience to draw upon."

Weiss perked up at the thought of 'liberating' what in her mind belonged to _her,_ though she politely waited until I was finished to voice her opinion. She virtually shot out of her seat. "Well, I for one, believe that it is our solemn duty as huntresses-in-training to apprehend these scoundrels and bring them to justice."

I smirked, knowing that my partner would now do anything to make sure that the mission went on as planned. There were far worse criminals in Vale to deal with, and we would get to them, in time, but first I needed to make sure my team was up to the task. I was put in charge of these three girl's well-being, and I'll do my best to make sure they can survive anything; be it Covenant, Grimm, bandit, or whatever else Remnant has to offer.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a pink and silver blur rushing past our table before turning back and stopping. "Oh-hey-that's-the-Beacon-uniform!Do-you-go-there?I-go-there-too!what-year-are-you-let's hang out and… do… …stuff…" She said, her eyes gradually growing more tired before she collapsed onto the floor.

Seconds later, a dark-haired man in a green stylized coat and white pants approached. "I apologize on behalf of my partner," He said with a slight bow. "She gets that way when she is given caffeinated beverages." He produced a low-powered tazer and shocked the unconscious girl.

She shot up. "Pancakes!" She shouted before looking around. "Oh, heeeeeyyyyy Reeeeennnnn." She said with a smile. I finally got a good look at the girl and noted her… odd apparel. She wore a white sleeveless t-shirt with a heart-shaped hole just above the chest. Over said tee, she wore some kind of weird semi-armored corset paired with a pink skirt. On her arms rested a pair of white detached sleeves and she also donned a pair of pink fingerless gloves.

"Hello, Nora." He turned to face us. "I don't believe we have been introduced. Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie of team JNPR."

I nodded. "Ruby Rose, leader of team RWBY."

"Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company."

"Blake."

"And I guess I'm Yang, Ruby's older/younger sister." Everyone besides me eyed her curiously, but she waved them off. "It's uhh... kind of a long story…"

Just then, two more people, a man and a woman, approached. I immediately recognized the semi-armored blonde as the one I nicknamed 'Vomit Boy' and I thought I recognized the redheaded girl, though I couldn't place a name to her face.

She wore a bronze colored armored corset with a matching gorget and armored high-heeled boots. 'Seriously, what is it with Remnant and heels?' I idly thought while examining the rest of her outfit. She also wore a blood-red sash that hung to about calf height from her dark red miniskirt. To round it all off, she wore a bronze crown and bicep-length dark red gloves.

The blonde looked like he was slightly exhausted from running here. "Nora… only decaf from now on…"

"I'm sorry!"

He facepalmed. "Pyrrha, you don't need to apologize for anything, _I_ gave her coffee…"

"Oh, sorr err-." She scanned the area, obviously looking for any distraction. Her eyes settled on us. "Oh, hello! I'm Pyrrha Nikos, of team JNPR."

Vomit Boy looked towards us. "Oh! Uhh, hey… Jaune Arc." We all introduced ourselves in the same order that we did previously. "So uhh, mind if we join you guys? Y'know, get to know our new classmates and all?"

I shrugged. "Fine with me, how 'bout you guys?"

"Sure."/"Uhh, yeah, go ahead."/"I see no problem with this development." Were my teammates' responses.

I smirked. "Well, guess that settles it. Grab a seat, guys."

* * *

"Well, I think they're nice." My sister said as we re-entered our dorm room.

Blake hummed in agreement. "I wonder how we never noticed them. They live right across from us, after all."

I shrugged. "I dunno, bad luck?"

 **-thunk-**

We all whipped around to see a red-eyed crow creepily staring at me as it slid down our dorm room window. "Well… that was a thing…" My sister said.

"Uhh… yeah…" I trailed off. "Anyways, sidearms! Let's get 'em sorted!"

"Ugh, this again?" My partner pinched her nose.

"Well… I realized that giving everyone an MA5B probably isn't the best idea… so I wanted to know what kinda rifle would suit everyone."

I quickly started drawing diagrams of various UNSC firearms, namely the MA5B, BR55, and M392, listing their advantages and disadvantages. Before I could finish, Blake raised a concern of hers. "Why does it need to be a rifle?"

"Well," I started, not looking away from my drawings. "our team is sorely lacking in ranged capabilities at the moment. I had a sniper, but its incompatible with dust-based ammunition aaand I used up all the 14.5mm ammo that I brought with me." I paused for a moment. "Right now, _Yang_ has the best ranged capabilities, and she uses single shot, slow moving projectiles that could be easily dodged."

"I think you're forgetting about me," my partner started. "Myrtenaster has a theoretically unlimited range."

"Heh, yeah… but it can be just as easily dodged as Ember Celica. Also, your fancy rapier eats through dust like a friggin' vacuum cleaner." She deflated a little at my comment, but I had just finished my drawings and quickly presented them to everyone. "Obviously, we can modify these designs since we're making them, but they serve as good base weapons to start with."

They thought everything over for a minute before Weiss spoke up first. "I don't have very much experience with guns, though Myrtenaster is already an excellent close-range weapon. Perhaps the BR55 would be a good choice for me."

"I grew up outside the kingdoms and, for a time, I was the designated hunter for my… _group_. A high precision rifle would be best for me." Blake stated.

"Well…" Yang sighed. "guess I'm takin' the assault rifle."

"You don't have to choose that one if it doesn't suit you, sis."

"Oh, I thought we could only have one of each on the team. The Battle Rifle would probably be good for me."

I shot her a smile. "Good, now let's talk modi-" There was a knock on the door. And we all looked at each other.

My sister shrugged and moved to the door, since she was the closest. It opened with a click, though I couldn't see who was on the other side due to the angle. "U- Uncle Qrow?" She asked in a questioning tone. "What're you doing here?"

"Hey, Firecracker." A gruff voice responded. "How'd your first week at Beacon go?"

She involuntarily glanced over to me. "…Not what I expected, that's for sure." She paused. "But in a good way." I saw a genuine smile cross her face. "A very good way."

"That's great, kiddo." He gave out a single laugh. "I don't think I've seen you smile like that in years, and your eyes are even back to normal, too." He said, commenting on how her eyes were now a deep shade of lilac instead of the almost navy blue that they were when I first met her. "I'd tease you about finally getting a boyfriend, but I think we both know why you're smiling." He paused for a moment. "Can I come in? I'd like to see my nieces." He said, his tone slightly more somber.

Catching his hidden meaning, I spoke up. "Hey, Weiss, Blake, why don't cha go to the library or something."

They nodded and filed out the door, with Yang standing aside to let my uncle through. A red-eyed, dark haired man strode into the room. He wore an off-white button-up dress shirt with a wide, grey stripe down the middle. The collar, pockets, and the inside of the sleeves, which were rolled up to his forearms, were black, matching his dress pants, shoes, and watch. He had a a necklace adorning a cockeyed silver cross and, lastly, a tattered red cape sat upon his shoulders. His eyes widened. "Whoa." The door clicked behind him. "I did _not_ expect you to be tall."

I gave him a smirk. "Heh, the first thing you say to your niece that cha haven't seen in ten years is about her height?" I said, jokingly.

He returned my smirk. "Well, your mom's nickname was shortstack for a reason." We shared a quick laugh before we hesitantly embraced each other. "It's good to see ya again, kiddo."

"Heh, good to see you too, Birdman." We broke the embrace and he looked at me questioningly for a second before shrugging. "Hey, just curious… you obviously knew I was here, how'd ya find out?"

"Funny story actually, I was just getting back from a mission from Oz and I asked about Yang. Standard stuff really, 'Is she causing trouble?' 'How're her grades?' kinda stuff. Imagine my surprise when he says my niec _es_ , as in _both,_ ended up not only on the same team, but also in my old dorm room."

"Wait, you went here too?" I asked.

"Yeah. Me, your dad, and Yang's mom were all on a team. Funnily enough, your mom was the leader, Ruby." He ruffled my hair. I winced at first, but after a split second, decided that it was nice, and I gave him a smile. "Like mother like daughter, I guess."

"Yeah…" I said, averting my eyes. "What was she like?"

"Summer?" I nodded, and he sighed. "She… well, she was the most kind-hearted person I've ever known. She always managed to find the best in people and constantly stood up for those who couldn't do it themselves… Got us in more than one sticky situation if you ask me, but she always managed to get us out again." He paused for a moment while looking away. "Listen, kiddo, if you're anything like her, you'll be a great leader."

I gave him a genuine smile. "Thanks."

"No problem, now…" He started as he crashed on one of the beds. "how'd initiation go?"

"Heh, well as far as Omega Three's go, I'd say it went pretty well."

"Pretty well?!" Yang shouted. "You went missing at the end and I thought you were dead! Again!"

"Sis, really, it wasn't that ba-"

"Wasn't that bad?! You came back with bloodstains on your clothes and said you did field surgery on yourself! In Grimm territory!" At this point, I noticed her eyes were blood red. "And that's _after_ you randomly collapsed in the middle of a field!"

Qrow's eyes widened. "Whoa whoa whoa… what?"

I sighed before I had an idea. "Alright, if you guys really won't believe me, I'll just show you what happened." I said as I moved over to my helmet. "My armor records everything that I do while wearing it." I quickly explained while I extracted the recording chip. "Now, is there somewhere private where we can watch this? It gets pretty gory with the Giant Nevermore and Ancient Deathstalker…"

* * *

I watched in amusement as both my uncle and sister finished watching the video. Qrow reached into his shirt and pulled out a flask while Yang just stared at me. My uncle finished drinking and stowed his flask. "Ruby… I've only known you're alive for, what, an hour? And you're already makin' me drink." We shared a laugh, but my sister still looked stern.

I barely noticed when she walked over to me, that is until she slapped me. Just as I was about to ask 'what the fuck?' she hugged me. "Don't _ever_ do that again. Got it?"

"Heh, no promises, sis." She glared at me. "But I can promise that I'll come back home, alright?"

Her gaze softened as she sighed. "…Alright."

My uncle cleared his throat and we both turned our attention to him. "Now that you two are done with your sisterly moment…" He cracked his knuckles and smirked. "I wanna see just how good my niece _really_ is in a fight."

I returned his smirk. "Oh, you're on, Birdman."

* * *

I stood in the courtyard, opposite my opponent. We fought at this location for two reasons: it would allow my classmates to see what an actual huntsman fight would look like… and all the training arenas were booked for the next three hours… Instead of fighting in my Beacon uniform, I elected to try out my new combat outfit, for use during sparring matches and the like. It was fairly plain compared to my classmates', but it certainly got the job done. I wore an olive-green pair of cargo pants with a matching tank top adorning the letters 'UNSC' in a black font. On my feet were a pair of tan combat boots and a matching pair of fingerless gloves adorned my hands. The black leather belt I wore provided me with a place to hang both Lisette's and Kat's dog tags as well as mom's silver rose. Both sides of my waist adorned a black leather knife sheath, each holding one of my preferred weapons for close quarters combat. All of this was worn on top of my, now signature, black bodyglove.

My sister stood off to the side, monitoring each of our auras, as I drew my knives. "Ya ready, Birdman?"

He crossed his arms and allowed a smirk to climb its way onto his face. "Whenever you are, Tinman."

I gave a slight chuckle at his comment. "If I was wearing my armor, that'd be pretty good." I said as I started to circle him, though he didn't move a muscle. I raised an eyebrow and he mirrored me. I started walking towards him and he _still_ remained perfectly stationary, aside from his head following my movements, that is.

As I got to within three meters of him, I sheathed my knives, eliciting an amused smile from him. I closed the distance, still at walking speed, and threw a wild, half-hearted punch at him. As expected, he dodged, though didn't retaliate. I threw another one, same lack of power, and same recklessness. He dodged again, though I used the follow-through to spin myself around and throw a probing kick at him. Once again, he dodged, though the margin was much smaller than before.

He smirked as my most recent punch sailed right past his head, I quickly reciprocated his gesture. Before he could figure out why, I had already grabbed his hair with the hand that missed my previous strike and threw him into a knee strike. Still holding on with my left hand, I dove over his back, grabbing his shirt with my right hand in the process and throwing him onto the ground.

He recovered with a roll and stood up, spitting onto the ground afterwards. "I like your style." He said with a smirk.

"Heh, think we're done with the formalities?"

"Took the words right outta my mouth, kiddo." He said, drawing his sword.

I responded by reequipping my knives and charging before he had a chance to react. My first blade barely grazed his aura while my second swatted away a hasty counterstrike. He responded by sweeping my legs, though I just barely avoided it. By this time, I had brought my right knife around and aimed to plunge it into his gut. He lept backwards, though not before my blade pinged off his aura.

He tilted his head to the side slightly and the blade of his weapon lowered… …only to reveal a gun barrel. I dodged the resulting blast and swapped one of my knives for my pistol. We exchanged bursts for a couple seconds before his blade reformed and he swung it about in a circle to block my shots. I charged in after him in a flurry of rose petals, catching him off guard momentarily. I managed to get a shot off on his torso before he brought his blade around and swung for me.

I was ever so slightly too slow, and the blade pinged off the aura protecting my shoulder. He brought his blade back around, though I was able to arch my back and duck out of the way. I translated the motion into a kick to his jaw and he stumbled back. I pressed my magnum into his stomach and let off three shots before I was forced to retreat by his blade.

Knowing I was low on ammo, I quickly swapped my gun for the other blade and brought it up just in time to deflect my uncle's blow. I spun around and kicked him in the midsection, though he responded in turn and we both disengaged.

We circled each other again, both wearing smirks. He pressed a lever on his weapon and the blade started to shift. Each section separated and the blade itself warped to one side before producing a red edge. The handle elongated to several times its original size. What was once a greatsword had become a giant scythe.

His smirk grew to a full smile, one which I returned. "Heh, bringin' out the big guns, eh? Too bad I left my energy sword stuck in an Elite." I said as I sheathed my knives, knowing they would be completely and utterly useless against a scythe.

We both charged, and I easily sidestepped his first swing… …only for his scythe to rake itself across my back with a follow-up. I recoiled slightly and just barely had enough time to duck under yet another swing. His strikes came much faster than they did before, and I was barely able to dodge most of his swings; with some even pinging off my aura.

Finally, I got into a position to grapple him. I grabbed his left arm and threw it over his shoulder, knocking him off balance. He recovered and gave me a firm punch with his right hand. I dodged and responded with a series of knees and kicks, seeing as my hands were occupied. He sent me away with a headbutt, though it didn't stun me for long.

I charged in, hoping to end this fight with a disarm… …and proceeded to trip over a stone that sank under my weight. I was thrown off balance for just long enough for my uncle to kick me onto my back. When I tried to get back up, I found my his greatsword at my throat.

A smirk crossed my face. "Heh, I yield."

He stowed his weapon and offered me a hand. "Good match, kiddo."

"Heh, yeah, you too." I looked over at my sister. "How'd our auras hold up?"

"Qrow's ended at 23% with yours at 38%" My sister said.

At this point I noticed that we had attracted quite the crowd of spectators… including several Beacon professors… one of which was a very angry Goodwitch. "Break it up everyone!" She commanded, and many obeyed. She strode over to us, practically vibrating in anger. "Just _what_ do you think you're doing, Miss Rose?"

"Heh, a girl can't spend some quality time with her uncle on a weekend?" I said with a knowing smirk. She responded with a death glare, one which was promptly ignored. "Plus, it wasn't _my_ idea to fight in the courtyard…" I walked up to her, feigning a dejected mood. "Just between you and me, I think he's a bad influence."

We both looked over to my uncle, who was drinking again. "Glynda." We heard from behind us. "Let it go." We turned around to see Professor Ozpin standing there. "Come, we have other things to attend to."

Glynda hesitantly nodded and followed the Headmaster away from us and I turned back to my uncle, who was standing directly behind me. "Ya did good, Ruby. I actually thought you had me there."

"Heh, yea. I would've won if it weren't for that stupid brick." We shared a laugh. "By the way, I'm kinda thinkin' of getting into swords, mind showing me a few tricks?"

He ruffled my hair. "Sure, kiddo. Though I won't be around all that much."

I waved him off. "That's fine, I'm kinda busy too."

"Why the sudden interest, though?"

"Hmm? Oh, well… my knives _really_ aren't suited for fighting huntsmen… or most Grimm for that matter."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why are you concerned with fighting huntsmen? I mean, sure there's the tournament next year, but other than that you won't be fighting humans."

I gave him a sad smile. "Not everyone thinks that way." I shook my head. "Anyways, let's go grab some food. That way I can introduce you to the rest of the team."

* * *

(A/N) An entirely Ruby-centric chapter? Weird...

With the whole 'giving them all MA5Bs', that was actually my original, and lazy, idea. When I dismissed it, i decided to keep it in to show that Ruby _can_ and _does_ make judgmental errors, though she does her best to correct them when she realizes it. Also, they did stop at the clothing store, just nothing interesting happened so I decided not to write it.

Qrow's introduction originally started as a gag in my head, but I think I made it work reasonably well. Just like "Someone mentioned bad luck? Oh, Qrow must be around somewhere." Speaking of him, about the fight... yea, Ruby would have won that if something _unfortunate_ didn't happen. Also, knives are genuinely shit against literally anything other than an unarmed fighter... I speak from experience (I used to be an SCA fighter).

Also, in case anyone was confused by the title, it was a reference to Qrow and Ruby's eye colors, respectively... No Mercury vs. Ruby just yet.

Anyways, on to the reviews!

Mecharic - I actually never considered that. Yea, knowing him as 'A betting man who knows that some bets are not worth taking', he might actually flip sides. And where he goes, Neo goes, too... Hmm, noted.

seraphimnight - Thanks! And i was going to have Ruby explain what every part of her armor does in-story, but its not a spoiler, obviously, so I'll just say what she wears. So far its been stated that she wears a Recon helmet, I'm not sure if i mentioned her silver visor or HUL module, but those are also present. Its been implied that she wears the tactical recon chest from Halo: Reach (All of her armor is from there). Her shoulders are both Recon, on one leg she wears a medkit and on the other is a tactical soft case. She has the FJ/Para knees. On right wrist sits a tacpad whereas her left has a modified version of the assault/breacher, where instead of shotgun shells, it holds 60 round MA5B magazines (She really likes that gun). Her color scheme kinda breaks from the way Reach handles its versions, with the whole thing being red and a black stripe running down the back of both her arms and legs with her back being solid black.

Guest 1 - Pretty much... I'ma just chalk it up to Remnant being weird and/or incompetent. As for the aura situation, I'm kinda ripping off Unicorn of War's idea and saying that most people don't have enough aura to matter in a fight, and thus, many don't even unlock theirs... which explains why one of the goons in ch1 had three bullet holes in his head from a pistol that couldn't reliably do the same to a beowolf.

Guest 2 - Nope, Crescent Rose will be in this universe (at some point, probably a sequel or something) but Ruby will not be its(her?) creator(mother?). As for Tai and Qrow... you got half your answer, lol. Tai, meanwhile, is on Patch watering his flowers and bird watching. At first he'll be like "Fusion? What's that?" (In my headcannon, Remnant has done _nothing_ with nuclear science and doesn't even know about the atom.) but yea, he'll flip when he finds out just how much power its capable of generating.

evevee - Yea, again, no nukes = flood going rampant... and i don't even know if i can even make Ruby OP enough to deal with an entire flood infested planet by herself without blowing it up... however the hell she'd manage that when no star ships are around... Well, i _could_ , buuut then whats stopping her from marching right up to Salem and flicking her in the forehead, causing a 15 megaton explosion?

kjr250 honda - Thanks for the offer, but no. I know now that i don't know Halo lore as well as i used to (or thought i used to at least) and I'm pretty much looking up everything Halo related before i write it.

Guest 3 - Romance? Yes. Who? No comment. Though it won't take over the story, there'll be a few segments of some chapters dedicated to it, but after it gets established, it'll kinda fade into the background except for a few nickname changes. Also, yes, Ruby is sincerely trying to build the best team she possibly can... meaning no heels (Sorry, Weiss and Blake [No, i haven't forgotten about you]) and lots of constructive criticism. With the emotions... even Spartans aren't _truly_ machines... no matter how much ONI tried for the contrary.

raw666 - Thanks! I certainly plan on it.

Guest 4 - That's... probably exactly what she'd do. Ozzy probably wouldn't let Salem slide, though not for lack of effort on Ruby's part.

That's all for today, hope you enjoyed! And stay tuned for the next chapter, which is simply titled- "Ink".


	6. Ink

(A/N) Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 3/30/19

* * *

Chapter Six – Ink

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Undisclosed Location /-\

* * *

"Okay, what do we know?" I addressed our group while we met in our secret location.

"Not much." My partner answered. "She said she was in space, and she made a pretty convincing argument, too."

We all nodded in affirmation before Weiss elaborated. "Yes, she also said that Grimm, dust, auras, and semblances were all Remnant-exclusive. Meaning that whoever she was with, I presume this 'UNSC' that she has printed on everything she owns, likely does not possess any of the above."

"Yea, any idea what it means?" I asked.

"No, Yang. She has purposefully kept as many details as possible from us. Though she has let things slip."

Blake raised her eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Well, during our run this morning, she offhandedly mentioned a faction called 'The Covvies', though I find it likely that it is a nickname for the organization, rather than its full title."

My partner rolled her eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"I mean, who names themselves 'The Covvies'? It's completely stupid."

"Well, they could be aliens… I mean, when I ran with her yesterday, she mentioned that aliens exist." I said, leaving out the 'They don't come in peace' part.

"I suppose it makes since in the context of the situation." We all looked at her expectantly and she rolled her eyes. "It was about what they use in place of dust, she said, and I quote- 'I don't know what kind of space-magic the Covvies use.'"

"I agree." My partner said with a crisp nod. "What worries me is her combat skill. You don't _just_ get that good, whether we like it or not, something might be coming… And it might be a good idea to train under Ruby for a while."

Weiss paled. "Oh gods…"

"Weiss, what is it?" I asked, concern in my voice.

"During our argument yesterday, she said 'Just wait til _they_ find this place…'" She looked at us with wide eyes. "What if Blake's right? We need-"

 **-Knock knock knock-**

"Hey! You guys commin' outta the closet anytime soon?! We've got class in like ten minutes!"

We all looked at each other for a second, before Blake spoke up. "C- Coming Ruby!"

Weiss facepalmed. "I told you that she would find us. The janitor's closet isn't exactly far from our room." She sighed. "We'll meet again when we have more information." Suddenly she groaned. "I am so not looking forward to shopping for a sidearm this weekend."

Both me and my partner gave nods of agreement as we headed out the door.

* * *

The door clicked shut behind us. "I still don't know how I feel about your uncle." Weiss said.

" _I_ still don't know how you can move that fast!" I blurted out before Ruby could respond. "Like seriously Ruby, I couldn't even keep track of you two!"

"Ah yes," Weiss started. "the fight you were talking about." She sighed. "I still can't believe the fact that I hadn't even left you alone for two hours… and you already tore up our courtyard."

"Hey, its not _my_ fault Beacon doesn't have enough sparring rooms." Ruby defended. "Anyways, tomorrow I want to go over some things as a team."

Blake raised her eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Well, if you guys are gonna come with me on missions, I need to make sure you know how to do things properly."

"Don't you think we've already proven ourselves as huntresses?" Weiss said, dejectedly. "We made it into Beacon, after all."

"Yea, I know you're all capable huntresses. What I'm worried about is your urban combat skills. Specifically, clearing rooms and non-lethal takedowns."

"Why do you care about going non-lethal?" I growled.

"Well, _I_ don't particularly care. But you guys do." She paused for a moment. "Blake has probably already told you my kill count," We all nodded. "and I know that you all want to keep your hands unbloodied… however naive that idea is." We shared a glance. "Its entirely possible that the enemy will either have weak auras or none at all on next weekend's mission. Since these are common thieves and smugglers, I don't _really_ have all too much of a problem letting them live. And so, I wanna make sure you know how to fight someone without aura."

Weiss crossed her arms. "Oh? And you know exactly how to do that?"

She grinned. "Yep. Sometimes when I'd fight innies, the higherups would want their leader brought in alive." She shrugged. "Easier said than done, but I still did it none the less."

"Okay, but one question: what are innies?" Her partner asked, echoing our thoughts.

"It's short for Insurrectionists. Basically, they're terrorists." Our eyes widened. "Name it and they've done it. Suicide bombings, starship theft, assassinations, raids on military bases, televised execution of prisoners, the list goes on and on." Her voice got fiercer and fiercer as she went on, though she sighed when she finished. "Anyways, point is that I want you guys to be prepared. Does tomorrow at 10am work for everyone?" We all gave our affirmations. "Good, meet me in the courtyard wearing your new uniforms."

"I thought you said you _weren't_ making us into soldiers. Why do we need uniforms?" Weiss asked.

She put her hands up. "Alright, I'll admit, I'm teaching you military techniques. But the reason I want you wearing your uniforms is so you can get comfortable moving in them, and the look won't be permanent. The way we picked them out, I made sure that armor could be added on top." Weiss opened her mouth again, though she was silenced by a wave. "Don't worry, I'll let you personalize that. It's like I said, you can't rely on any one thing to save you every time."

"I'm still not sure about this…" Weiss trailed off before sighing. "What did you even have in mind?"

"Something like this." She produced a rough drawing. "It's a modified version of Orbital Drop Shock Trooper armor, I'll just refer to it as ODST armor from now on. Unlike its inspiration, this version won't be rated for EVA and I also sacrificed some of the armor on the joints, making it much more flexible. I'll see about the integrated night vision, but full-on VISR is out of the question. Same goes for the motion tracker, squad comms shouldn't be an issue though."

We all stared at her in various states of confusion. "I… have no idea what you just said."

She gave me a smirk. "Eh, don't sweat it sis. I'll explain everything when you actually get your armor." Suddenly, she burst into rose petals, her previous attire, minus the black undersuit, fell to the floor. A couple seconds later, she had fully reformed into her armor. "Now," She said as she donned her helmet. "I have a building to prepare."

She started for the door, but I stopped her. "Where're you going? Its like," I looked at the clock. "almost nine!"

She waved me off. "Eh, relax. My helmet has built-in night vision, I'll be able to see just as well as a faunus in the dark." I saw Blake's eye twitch out of the corner of my eye.

"When'll you be back?"

"Ten tomorrow." She said nonchalantly.

"What's going to take _that_ long?" I said, before an idea popped in my head. "Where'll you sleep?"

She had started folding up her clothes while I was talking to her. "Well, I need to get the training ground ready. As for the sleep issue, I'll just find a tree or something." I started to protest, but she cut me off with her hand. "I've slept in _much_ worse, I'll be fine." She picked up her shotgun and pistol before stowing them in their respective places. "See ya guys tomorrow." She said with a wave as she closed the door behind her. A second later, the door reopened, and she poked her head back through. "Oh, and bring your weapons." The door clicked again, leaving just us three in the dorm.

I blinked before speaking up. "Well, uhh... looks like we have the dorm to ourselves tonight." I turned to face my teammates… only to see them already doing other things. Weiss was just sitting down at the desk to study, whereas Blake was already cuddling up with a book on her bunk. I sighed and decided to get a workout in before bed.

* * *

We stood in the courtyard, all of us feeling a little awkward wearing our 'Infiltration Suits' as Ruby called them. The uniform consisted of a form-fitting black suit, thin black gloves, and a black facemask. Weiss checked the time on her scroll and frowned. "She's late."

Before we could retort, my sister pounced on her out of nowhere. "Nope." She said, popping the 'P'.

"GAH! Ruby?! Get off, you Oaf!" She did so with a barely suppressed laugh. "Gods, how much does that armor _weigh_? It felt like I was being crushed!"

She took off her helmet, revealing her smirking face. "Eh, 'bout half a ton, give or take. Oh, don't look at me like that, your aura protected you." She said with a dismissing wave.

"Hmph." She crossed her arms. "While you may be correct, please don't do it again."

"Huh? I thought it was what friends did..." My sister responded, confusion evident in her voice.

"Well, we're n-" She cut herself off and paused for a moment, her face betrayed the fact that she was deep in thought. She sighed and pinched her nose. "Just don't do it again, you Oaf."

She shrugged before putting her helmet back on. "Whatever ya say, Ice Queen… Anyways, let's get moving."

With that, she started jogging towards the forest. We followed her and after about half an hour, arrived at an abandoned building. The structure itself looked to be an L-shaped two-story house just opposite a two-stall garage. Some of the white siding on the south side had started peeling off, exposing the wooden outer shell of the house. The front, east, side was half-covered in vines, which themselves were half-dead. All of the visible shingles were either peeling or had fallen off due to disrepair, some places even had a hole in their stead. The garage appeared to be in slightly better shape, though not by much.

"Alright, team." My sister began. "Today we're gonna see how good you guys are at clearing a building."

"Ugh." Weiss snorted. "Why do we need to know this? We won't use it."

"Actually… you'll use it this weekend." Ruby stated.

Her partner crossed her arms. "Doing what, might I ask?"

My sister facepalmed. "The mission..."

"Oh…" Weiss said, dropping her arms. "I was under the impression we were apprehending criminals."

"We are, but do you think they'll come quietly?" She stretched out her arms. "So, I'm gonna make sure you know how to clear a room correctly." She pointed towards the house. "I want that building cleared, you three will do it by yourselves first, then I'll accompany you the second time and correct any mistakes that are bound to crop up. You have five minutes to prepare, time starts now." She said as she walked away.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I strode behind the house and quickly activated my active camouflage. My team didn't know about most, if not all, of my armor's abilities, and I would rather it be kept that way. That said, this was the only way to observe them without placing cameras, that I don't have, inside the home. I crept into the living room, being careful to not make any noise.

The hours I had spent away from my team were pretty much all dedicated to making sure this house wasn't going to cave in on itself, given its condition. The structure itself turned out to be surprisingly sound, supporting my MJOLNIR without issue, it was only the cosmetics, and the few gaping holes in the roof, that needed any real attention. Speaking of holes, I found a nice little crack in the wall leading to an adjacent room.

The crack itself was far too small for anyone to fit through, though it was perfect to look through. Seconds after I had settled, the front door flew open and the three stooges barged in… …not even checking the corners behind them… I sighed, knowing this was going to be a long day...

* * *

"Alright, this is it." I said to my team. We were all dressed in our infiltrator uniforms, including myself. After seeing how identifiable their hair made them, I encouraged everyone to wear some form of hat, though I ultimately left it up to them as to which one they chose. Weiss was the most reluctant, but I explained it to her that she should be the most concerned, given that she was not only the heiress to a multi-billion Lien company, but also that her hair color was _very_ identifiable among her family. Thusly, she agreed and decided to wear a full-on balaclava. Yang went for a simple toque, keeping her mask. Blake, however, decided to go full pants-on-head and donned a black top hat, also keeping her mask. I thought about objecting, then I realized that it was _so_ unlike her that it was perfect.

To round off my disguise additions, I decided to join Blake in her craziness and got a fedora. I had thought about having everyone get colored contacts to hide their eye-color, but that turned out to be unnecessary…

...Except for me.

I did a quick hack of Vale's databases – Their security is literally centuries out of date – and found that I was the only one on the team with a unique eye color. Interestingly, I found an old legend about those with silver eyes while I was at it and filed it away for later review; even the most outlandish legends have some hint of truth within, after all… Anyways, today I was not Ruby Rose potentially the last 'Silver-Eyed Warrior', but instead I was a black-clad infiltrator whose only discernible features were her snow white skin and piercing _cyan_ eyes.

"Everyone remember the plan?" I asked, receiving a trio of nods. "Alright, remember: non-lethal if you can help it." We lined up on the door and I readied my still-unnamed weapon. I would enter first and sweep right, Blake would be behind me and sweep left, our partners would then enter and sweep the far sides of the room. I held up my hand, three fingers extended.

Two.

One.

I kicked the door down and swept my rifle to its designated spot. "Right clear!" I announced as I swung my weapon to the far side of the room. I saw a wide-eyed doe Faunus on the far side as I heard a thud coming from my left. I assumed that the others had that threat covered and moved towards the unknown contact. "HANDS UP! ON YOUR KNEES!" She hesitated for a split second before reaching for the small of her back. I sprinted forwards and hit her in the head with the butt of my rifle, knocking her out cold. "Four! Secure her!" I ordered as I ran over to the only other doorway in the room.

My sister quickly approached and started tying her up with the rope she brought. "I've got her."

I gave a nod of affirmation as I stood at the doorway. "Two, Three, status?"

"Right behind you." Weiss replied as she fell into formation.

Blake was right behind her. "Ready."

I nodded, still facing the door, and held up another three fingers. Again, I kicked open the door when my countdown reached zero. I rounded my corner and a bullet whizzed past my head. I immediately returned fire and soon the would-be assailant lied dead, his chest riddled with bullets. I turned around and saw a thrown knife skid off my partner's aura. Before it even hit the ground, I had already turned towards the source, snapped my rifle on target, and squeezed the trigger.

A hazel aura flared on my target, a Human male dressed in a blue trench coat, and shattered when the last bullet of my magazine impacted it. I sprinted over to him, reloading as I went. He had collapsed behind a pillar and managed to get a shot off with his pistol as I rounded it, though I saw it coming from a mile away and dodged with ease. I kicked the weapon out of his hand before bringing my foot around to the back of his head, knocking him out.

I surveyed the room, it was slightly larger than the last one and filled with supplies, though the only other way out was a currently-closed garage door. The area was clear of hostiles, though the police would eventually come… my assault rifle isn't exactly quiet, after all…

"Three! Got one for ya!" I stowed my weapon and took out my duffel bag. "Alright, ladies! Time to loot 'n scoot!" I shouted as I started to pry open everything I could. The first box I found held food, the next held some old-looking rocks, the third, however, held what I was looking for. Lien cards. And lots of them.

I quickly stuffed the money into my bag and moved onto the next one which contained- "Ugh! What were these people doing?!" My partner shouted.

"They're smugglers, or at least _were_ before we got here, what'd ya find?"

"Some white powder, it's in uniformly sized bags and it doesn't feel like dust."

"Probably drugs." I said as I tossed aside another box full of useless things. I cracked open one final box and- "Oh… what do we have here?" I said. "Two, I found your dust."

"What?!" She said, basically teleporting to me. "Give it here!" She took one of the crystals. "Yes, this is _definitely_ Schnee dust." She announced while stuffing her duffel bag.

"Alright, cops'll be here any minute, let's get a move on!"

* * *

"Seven minutes thirty-five seconds," I stated before nodding. "good job, team RWBY." We had gone back to the abandoned house after our 'mission'… well, the garage, that is. Its much more secure, given that it doesn't have any holes in it.

My partner immediately tore off her balaclava and started undoing the tight braid that my sister had shown her how to do. "Ugh, finally. I hate this thing already."

"Heh, I _did_ say that it'd take some getting used to, Ice Queen." She groaned. "Anyways, lets see if we made the news." I said as I opened my scroll and opened the Vale News Network app.

"…olice have not released a statement so far, though reports of automatic gunfire have everyone in the area worried. Wait, this just in. We are live with Officer Brown of the Vale Police Department." The announcer said.

The camera cut to a police officer standing at a podium that adorned the VPD seal. "We have both good news and bad news about this… incident… The good news is that the people that were attacked were part of a widely known and highly wanted group of smugglers and drug runners called the 'Blazing Sun', it's safe to say that this particular branch will no longer be causing the citizens of Vale any grief." He sighed. "However, that is where the good news ends. The presence of at least one fully-automatic weapon among the attackers is all but confirmed, due to the presence of twenty-seven medium caliber bullet wounds on the only casualty of the raid, though no bullet casings were found at the scene. Interestingly enough, an entire crate of cocaine was found seemingly untouched by the raiders, though almost every box in the entire warehouse had been searched. It is clear that the attackers were looking for something, and whether or not they found it, we have no idea. All we know is that they were extremely organized and had this all planned out to a tee. The survivors have yet to wake up, meaning that we do not have any more to offer the public. We'll update you on the situation as it develops."

I shut my scroll and smirked. "Well, how does it feel to have your first black op under your belt?"

Yang glared at me. "You said we were going non-lethal."

"Yea, that was the plan… until some fuckwit thought it'd be a good idea shoot at me." I paused. "Anyways, what'd we all get for a haul? I got about a thousand Lien, divided three ways that's about three hundred thirty-three for each of us."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Only three ways?"

"Yeah, I thought you said you didn't want money."

She huffed. "I never said that, I only said I didn't need it. I would much rather not have to rely on my father for anything."

I shrugged. "Okay then, two hundred fifty for each of us... What'd you all get?"

Blake held out a tube of some kind. "I got this, I think it's a suppressor for a rifle."

I nodded, and my sister stepped forward next. "I got some Lien too, about four-hundred."

We all turned to my partner. "I retrieved several uncut dust crystals and about two dozen vials of dust powder, all of varying types, Schnee Company munitions-grade."

I clapped my hands together. "Alright! Looks like a good haul. Me and Yang will share the Lien with everyone, anyone want the suppressor?" Weiss and Yang shook their heads. "Well, looks like you can keep it, Blake. Now, what're ya gonna do with the dust, Weiss?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I fully intend on returning it to-"

I held up my hand. "Hold on just a minute there. I'm just gonna say right now that that's not the best idea."

She crossed her arms. "Oh? Care to explain?"

"Because look at it this way: Who sells dust back to a shop? And wouldn't it be a _little_ suspicious if the _heiress_ to the entire SDC comes into a shop and tries to sell such a small amount? Instead of, you know, negotiating for a contract or something."

She deflated. "I… concede your point… But what am I supposed to do with this, then?"

"Well, the vials are easy. Just use 'em with Myrtenaster."

"They aren't the correct size. Myrtenaster uses fifteen millimeter vials, these are forty millimeter." She said.

"Well, could you re-fill your used ones?" I asked earnestly.

She blinked. "Theoretically, yes. Though it would be difficult."

I shrugged. "Use a funnel."

"I… suppose that could work…" She paused. "What about the crystals?"

I hummed in thought. "Well, I could use more grenades…"

She sighed and pinched her nose. "Let me guess… you want me to do it?"

"Yep!" I said, popping the 'P'. "You _are_ the dust expert, after all."

She crossed her arms. "No."

I flashed a Lien card in her face. "I'll pay you."

"Deal." She tried to swipe it out of my hand.

"Ahahah!" I shouted, quickly pulling the card away. "You make the goods and you'll get the cash."

"Hmph. Fine. What would you even like?"

"Well, let's see what cha got."

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Beacon Academy Grounds /-\

* * *

I sat on a tree branch, one leg hanging over the side, while reading my dust textbook. I don't know why, but even as far back as Signal Academy, I've preferred to study this way. Just out in nature, usually nestled in the branches of a tree, studying. Back on Patch, I'd outfitted my favorite tree with a battery-powered light so that I could read well into the night if I needed to. Here, I haven't gotten around to it yet, though I'm sure I will over the next four years.

I sighed, still unable to concentrate. This had been an occasional problem ever since the raid last week, I'd go out into the woods to my new favorite tree and stare at a page for ten minutes or more at a time. Ruby had said that we needed to lay low, said we didn't want to go on another one for a while as to not attract any attention to ourselves. Both Ruby and Weiss seemed to have taken it in stride, with the former going on as if nothing had happened and the latter acknowledging that, although the person didn't deserve to die, it was a good thing the smugglers were caught.

I had gone to somewhat of a middle ground between them and my partner, agreeing with Weiss for the most part, but also doubting that we should have done it in the first place. Blake, however, had started to become even more distant than she already was, constantly going to the library to read and other times just straight up disappearing.

I heard a rustle coming from beside me and I turned to face it… …only to see my partner standing on a nearby branch eying me curiously. "Hey." She greeted.

"Uhh… Hey Blake. What're you doing here?"

She eyed me for a moment before letting herself drop and landing in a perfect sitting position on her branch. "I… need to talk to you…"

"Uhh, okay…" I said, stowing my book in a satchel that I brought with. "Wait, how'd you know I was up here?"

"You really aren't that hard to track." I tilted my head in confusion. "I was a hunter at one point, remember?"

"Oh yeah… forgot about that… So, uhh... what'd ya wanna talk about?"

She sighed. "It's Ruby…" I nodded, signaling her to continue. "She… well, she reminds me of someone…" She trailed off.

"I'm guessing that's not a good thing." I said, catching her meaning.

"No, it isn't." She sighed again. "He was the leader of our… group… Sometimes Humans would die when we were… defending ourselves… He'd always make excuses, 'They got in the way' 'They attacked us' 'They wouldn't surrender' were the most common." I mentally noted that she used 'Humans' as an 'other' group. "I confronted her an hour after it happened, Yang… And I saw the same lack of empathy that _he_ showed, used the same excuses, too." She paused, taking a deep breath. "The only difference I see between them is that I honestly don't think she went in intending to kill anyone… But that's how he started, too…"

I thought about a solution for a moment. "Well… we could have a team meeting about it. She definitely needs to try harder to not kill people."

She thought about it for a moment before giving a hesitant nod. "Okay." I nodded and started to get up. "I don't trust Weiss either, though."

I paused and sat back down. "Why's that?"

"Why? She's a Schnee. That automatically makes her a racist rich snob, and I'm sure that's an accurate statement."

I was taken aback by her outburst. "Uhh… What?" She opened her mouth to retort, but I cut her off. "I heard you. So, let me get this straight. You're angry at a group of people for universally possessing a set of traits?" she nodded. "That's… kinda racist, Blake. Well, family-ist, in this case… Don't get me wrong, though, I _really_ don't like what Jacques does with his Faunus workers. It's just that… Weiss is her own person, give her a chance to prove herself."

Over the course of my little rant, her face had morphed into several different emotions. First was confusion, then fury, then confusion again, and now… shame. "I… I don't know what to say…" She said as her bow deflated.

'Huh… weird.' I idly thought, but I shrugged it off. "Well, no sense in waiting, I guess." I said as I opened my scroll and called my teammates.

Her eyes widened. "W- What're you doing?!" She said as she reached for my scroll, almost falling from her perch.

"I'm calling the meeting right now." She opened her mouth to retort, but I again cut her off. "The longer we wait with this, the more screaming and hurt feelings will get involved. It's best we do it now."

She sighed. "...Fine."

* * *

The door clicked behind me as I entered our dorm room. "Alright, so what's this about?" My sister asked.

I looked over at my partner, who had a very sheepish look on her face, and I elected to speak up for her. "W- Well… some of us are a bit worried about your… uhh… habits, in combat…"

She raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? And what habits would those be?"

"Uh, umm-"

"Wedontwantyoukillinganymorealright?!" My partner blurted out shortly before covering her mouth.

She stayed quiet for a moment, obviously contemplating something. Finally, she sighed. "We should take this somewhere else… Somewhere quieter." She burst into rose petals and reformed into her suit. "C'mon, I know a place."

I stepped between her and the door. "Oh no, we are having a conversation right now!"

She shrugged. "I didn't say we weren't, I'm just sayin' it might get a bit noisy in here…"

I started to speak up, but Blake cut me off. "She's worried about eavesdroppers."

"Yes, thank you, Blake. Now, if everyone would follow me…"

* * *

"You could have just told us to meet you at the Shack." Weiss remarked, the shack referring to the abandoned house Ruby found.

She shrugged. "Eh, this makes it look like I'm less likely to ditch you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Are you, now?"

"Nope." She said, _not_ popping the 'P' like she normally does. She sighed. "Follow me."

She led us into the detached garage before shutting the door behind us. She walked over to the rusted hulk of a car and her partner, again, raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing, you Oaf? That won't budge in a million-" She shoved the car aside with a half-hearted push before turning to face us. If she weren't wearing a helmet, I would be able to see the smirk that I'm sure adorned her face. "…years." She pinched her nose. "I'm not sure why I even bother anymore…"

She pried off a sheet of metal from the floor, exposing a hidden entrance to the basement that none of us knew existed. "This'll be quiet enough, everybody inside." We hesitated for a second before my partner shrugged and began to climb down the ladder. I followed her with Weiss behind me. Lastly, Ruby started to enter, but paused to replace both the car and the metal sheet.

"I can't see a thing." I muttered.

"Hang on, I think I've…" My partner started before I heard a click and the lights came on. "…got it." The room we found ourselves in looked fairly old, even though the walls themselves were lined with modern cinder blocks. The room itself was fairly spacious, with the ceiling being about seven feet tall. There were some unopened crates lined with cobwebs along one of the walls with what looked to be an old radio sat atop one. Funnily enough, another armor rack resided in one corner… with my sister stepping into it. The rest of the room was empty, though the cement floor looked to be newly swept.

"Okay," Weiss started. "first of all, why all the secrecy? And why did you bring that projector?"

The last rose clicked into place on my sister, though she wore a grim expression. She sat down on one of the crates. "It's time I told you what I really am."

* * *

(A/N) Aaaaand now _WBY finally gets to find out about Reach! and Spartans! and Covvies! They probably won't be excited about that last one though. Fun fact: originally, i planned on Yang swiping Ruby's recording chip and her sister walking in on her watching the fall of Reach. Only reason i scrapped it was because i couldn't come up with a believable way for Ruby to _not_ go on a murderous rampage and horribly maim her sister for invasion of privacy.

Another thing, I decided to spare you guys the details of another training session... there's already enough of those in this story and its only chapter six... Aaaand i just realized that I chose to have Noble Six decide to reveal her backstory in chapter six... Another completely unintentional thing.

As far as their armor goes, I haven't decided on what mods they'll each have, but it'll all be based on ODST armor. Maybe an armored combat skirt for Weiss? Heavier armor for Yang? Idk. And I'm at the same stage for their secondary weapons.

Lastly, with the size of Myrtenaster's vials, I was kinda curious as to how big they actually were so I watched the V5E2 scene where Weiss is loading her weapon with dust. I noticed that one vial was about the same diameter as her thumb so I looked up women's ring sizes. Weiss has small hands, even for a girl, and so I went one size smaller than average (size six vs size seven) and found it to be 16.6 millimeters for the inside diameter, (I would've went even smaller, but then I remembered I was measuring her thumb) thus, I rounded it down to a nice even 15... Though the size of the ones she got in the raid were completely arbitrary.

Also, I realize that it's kinda jarring to go from 'stop killing people' to 'let me tell you my life story', but it'll be addressed in the next chapter.

Now for the reviews!

 **raw666** \- If all goes according to Ruby's plan, no one outside of her team will know the Covenant even exists... buuuut you know what they say: The plan never survives first contact with the enemy. Also, yeah... that would inspire a lot of fear in humanity.

 **Dragon lord Syed 101** \- Thanks! With the ships, I still plan on having them in the story, but again, they will _not_ take the center stage. It'll be more like a side plot that hangs around for a few chapters while things get going. I haven't really decided when to start them, but I've narrowed it down to two possible start points: 1) near the end of Vol 2. 2) During Vol 4. Sooo in the near-ish future or the far future.

 **Guest 1** \- Because Qrow was an idiot and didn't look to see if it was closed... also, its funny.

 **Guest 2** \- Thanks! And no comment on who the ships are between.

And that does it for Chapter Six, the next one is called 'Hyper Lethal Vector'.


	7. Hyper Lethal Vector

(A/N) Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 4/8/19

* * *

Chapter Seven – Hyper Lethal Vector

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; The Bunker /-\

* * *

"It's time I told you what I really am."

There was a pregnant pause. "Well, _that's_ not ominous at all…" My partner remarked.

Ruby facepalmed. "Goddamnit Blake, I was trying to be dramatic." She sighed. "Anyways, I've kept you in the dark long enough. But let me make one thing clear:" She said, her voice turning stern. " _none_ of what I'm about to tell you leaves this room. Got it?" We all nodded. She smirked. "Good. But first, I brought snacks for everyone." She went over to her armor and retrieved a few snacks out of the many pockets she had. "Let's see… cauliflower and hummus for Weiss." Her partner smiled and nodded in approval. "Barbecue flavored chips for Yang." I smiled and eagerly shoved a handful into my mouth. "Aaand Tuna for Blake."

She eagerly accepted it for all of a second… then her face, along with both me and Weiss's, adorned a look extreme confusion. "Uhh- umm… H- How'd you know? I haven't had any tuna since I got here."

My sister shot her a grin and ran her fingers through her hair. "Oh, I've read all of your files." Blake paled for a second before my sister elaborated. "She's from a small village in the mountains of eastern Mistral, tuna is a delicacy there."

She blinked. "Actually, I'm-"

" _Right,_ Blake _._ "

A look of comprehension dawned on her face. "…Oh, actually, yes… I'm from uhh… Xi-ang? Yeah, Xiang village!" She said with a smile a little too wide.

Both Weiss and I shared a look before we both shrugged. "Okay… kinda weird about the tuna thing, but uhh... you do you."

She breathed a sigh of relief and then turned her attention to the tuna… …and devouring it in two seconds flat. She looked expectantly at my sister. "D- Do you have any more?"

Ruby had just barely sat down when she waved off my partner. "Yeah, but later." Blake made a noise of disapproval. "Oh relax, we have things to get to." My partner rolled her eyes. "Anyways, so… there really isn't a way to sugarcoat it. I'm not really Human anymore."

I choked on one of my chips for a second. "W- What?!" I yelled. "But you're my sister!"

"Yeah, and I still am. But about… eh… nine? ten? Years ago, I went through the augmentation process and officially became a Spartan Three commando."

"What do you mean by 'augmentation process'?" Weiss asked, eyebrow raised.

"I mean that they pumped a metric fuckton of drugs into me." Ruby bluntly stated. "Ever wonder why I'm so strong? How about my speed? Or my freakish height?"

"So you mean you're on steroids?!" I yelled.

"HA! Nope, not only was it a one-time dose, buuuuut they make steroids look like eating donuts."

"Uhh… that wouldn't do anything…" I remarked.

"Yeah, that's the point." She said, dryly

"Well… what's different about you?" Her partner asked, intrigued.

"Okay… so for starters, my bones are basically unbreakable. My vision is a lot better both in the dark and in the light, not to the level of Faunus night vision, though. My muscles are denser, meaning I could probably bench an Ursa Major if I wanted to. Plus the neural interface, but that's not really unique to Spartans. And… uhh… well, I might be tall for a normal girl - hell, even a guy - buuuuut I'm actually short for a Spartan. The average in Beta Company was a little under seven feet tall… and I'm six-foot-four. Also, my reaction time is a _lot_ better than a normal Human's."

I took a second to process this information before I had an idea. I grabbed a pencil out of my pocket and threw it directly at her face… …only for her to catch it between her fingers…

"Heh, thought you'd wanna test me out, sis." She threw the pencil back at me and I yelped as it embedded itself in the crate I was sitting on… …right below my crotch. She sighed. "But I'm not done… those were the ones that were _intended_ for me." She strode over to an empty crate and sat down. "You see, Remnan biology is different from our Terran counterparts… but no one knew I was a Remnan, nor did they even know we existed. So, naturally, some things went… _differently_ than the others…" She paused. "For starters, you know why I collapsed back at initiation?" That piqued my interest. "Turns out that I get all the benefits of standard Spartan stimulants crunched into about… fifteen seconds… hehe and afterwards, I crash… _hard_."

"Huh, I do remember you mumbling something about 'stims'… guess you really were fine."

"Told you." She said, humming. "Let's see… oh yeah! Whatever you do. Do. **Not**. Put on my armor." I blinked, surprised at her possessiveness. "This isn't even about me not wanting anyone to touch it either, it'll actually kill you if you put it on. And it _certainly_ won't be quick or painless."

I blinked again. "Uhh, okay…"

"Oh, and also I apparently age slower than everyone else. I don't know if its just cosmetic or if it actually affects my lifespan, but I look fifteen when I should look twenty-two."

Weiss spoke up next. "Okay, that is interesting. But I have another question, earlier, you said you were a commando. If I may ask, what exactly did you do?"

Her smirk dropped. "I really wasn't looking forward to that question…" She sighed. "It's… easier if I show you…"

* * *

I stared at my sister in… well, one word isn't really enough to describe what I'm feeling at the moment.

Awe. The skill she demonstrated was beyond anything I'd ever seen.

Despair. I had left her to that fate.

Admiration. She had saved an extreme amount of people.

Fear. She had killed... _so_ many aliens.

And many other things, but those were the biggest three. She stared back at us, her expression unreadable even without her helmet. We had asked questions during the session, she only showed us her tour on Reach. From their discovery of the Covenant at Visegrád to Ruby's last stand in Asźod, the fighting only lasted a month. Obviously long enough to where we had to be shown the highlight reel, but it was fairly short for something hyped up to be 'The Human Fortress World' as she called it.

However, there was one thing on all of our minds. "W- What happens if they find Remnant? Can we defend ourselves?" I asked.

She sighed. "Depends on what they send. The fleet that destroyed Reach was the strongest we've seen, well, ever… Though something like their fleet at the first battle of Sigma Octanus IV, I'd say we have a decent chance of winning… provided we can get to their ships, that is."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "And how many would that be?"

She hummed. "Two frigates, one destroyer, and one assault carrier."

She scoffed. "They would send _four_ ships to destroy an entire world?"

"Yep, wouldda won, too. We only had a single destroyer protecting the planet, but its captain was a tactical genius and managed to cripple the destroyer while killing the frigates, forcing the carrier to withdraw."

"I'm guessing that's unusual." Her partner observed.

"Yea, usually, we need three or more times their ships to win in space. We're better at the ground game, but it still never hurts to have more troops." She burst into rose petals and reformed into her armor. "Now, while I would love to stay and chat," She popped on her helmet. "we need to get ready for class."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "What are you on about? We're done for classes today."

"Heh, ya might wanna check the time, Ice Queen."

We all did so… …and simultaneously paled. "WHAT?! We were up all night?! Why didn't you say anything?!"

She shrugged. "I did. You guys just wouldn't listen." She started to climb the ladder. "Welp, let's get goin'."

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna; Beacon Academy /-\

* * *

We walked the hallways as a team after we got done with our classes. Ruby was the only one not exhausted, even so, I had something I needed to talk to her about. "Hey, guys?"

They all turned to me. "Yeah, Blake?" Ruby answered.

"Can… you guys go on ahead? I need to speak to Ruby in private."

Our partners shrugged and entered the room. "So, how private are we talkin'? Secluded spot private or bunker private?"

"Bunker private." I answered immediately. She nodded and headed into the room. "Why are you going in there?"

"To get my armor." I raised an eyebrow. "I know I make it look easy, but that car really is heavy, and the armor makes it easier to move."

I shrugged and let her change.

* * *

She descended the ladder and popped off her helmet. "So, what's up?"

"How long have you known?" I asked in a low tone.

She shrugged. "Since the first day of classes for sure, though I had suspicions during initiation when your bow constantly twitched."

My eyes widened. "It still does that?!" I yelled as I reached up to feel my bow which, to my surprise, was flattened. I sighed when I realized she was laughing. "How did you find out?"

She smirked. "Like I said, I read everyone's files."

"How, though? There aren't any physical copies kept anywhere, and you'd need direct access to the CCT to actually get anywhere."

She waved me off. "Oh please, cybersecurity on this planet is literally centuries behind what I'm used to."

My eyes widened again. "…H- How much do you know?"

She gave me a deadpan expression. "Everything." She sat down on a crate. "I know you're actually from Menagerie, but you traveled around with your parents during their time with the White Fang." My breath hitched. "I know you stayed with the organization after Sienna Khan turned it into a group of wannabe revolutionaries, though you disagreed with her methods." I winced at the mention of her name. "And lastly, I know you left your former partner, Adam Taurus, behind during a raid on a Schnee Company train… less than an hour before I landed." She stood up and leaned against the ladder. "So, Blake Belladonna, why'd you become a huntress?"

I sat still, stunned by her observations… all of them correct. Eventually, I opened my mouth to speak. "I… I don't know…" I sighed. "I guess I wanted to make up for what I did…" I took a deep breath. "You told us your story… why?"

She shrugged. "You're my team, you deserve to know."

"But why do you trust us?" I blurted out before remembering the first time I asked that question. " _Do_ you even trust us?"

She sighed. "Short answer: Yes; long answer: Its complicated."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere." I commented, dryly.

"Heh, I suppose so." She sighed. "Trust isn't as simple as 'yes and no' for me. Especially when the majority of the very few people to earn it are dead. You saw the fall of Noble Team at Reach… Aside from them, the only other one was… well… she was the only friend I had growing up." She took out a tag not unlike the ones I found in her armor. "Lisette-B276." She gave a sad smile. "We were inseparable. We ate together for every meal, did PT together, helped each other whenever we could. Hell, when one of us was sick, the other would fake just so we could be there for the other." She put it away and sighed. "I'll… spare you the details… but when she died… I didn't take it well…"

My eyes softened. "Ruby, I'm sorry."

She sighed. "It's… alright, I guess… The point is… everyone around me just… dies…" I opened my mouth to speak, but Ruby cut me off as her face turned steely. "So, you wanna know why I told everyone about _them_? Its because I want you to be ready. You want me to stop killing people? Only when people stop killing my _friends._ Is the training too hard? Too bad. It's how _I_ can make sure Team RWBY doesn't end up as Noble Team two-point-oh!" She stared at me for a few moments before her composure broke and she slumped back against the ladder. "…Sorry about that… I-"

I interrupted her with a hug. "I think you need a friend."

After a moment of hesitation, she returned the embrace. "Thanks…" We stood there for a few minutes before she broke contact. "I think we got off on the wrong foot." She extended her hand. "Wanna start over as friends?"

I nodded and took her hand. "Friends."

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Beacon Academy Grounds /-\

* * *

I walked the school grounds, looking for my partner. 'Its not like she's easy to miss… easily being one of the tallest people here…' I idly thought as I patrolled the perimeter. Suddenly, the bushes rustled and a figure in partial white armor emerged.

I tried to move on quickly, but he spotted me. "Heya Weiss!" He called and I inwardly sighed. 'Just ignore him, he'll go away eventually…' "Umm, I was wondering if you'd like to umm go see a movie? Oh! And how's about afterwards we grab a bite at… uhh… Donaldo Mikkie's?"

"No." I replied, simply.

He was slightly taken aback as he was shadowing me. "Oh, umm… okay…" He whistled awkwardly. "So uhh… what're you doing here?"

I sighed. "If you must know, I am searching for my partner."

"Ah! Well, that's good… uhh… gooder than why I'm out here at least… wait, is gooder even a word?"

"No." I sighed.

"Ah shucks. Anyways, my uhh… my rocket locker kinda broke… with me in it…"

I smirked at an idea I just had. "Care to go back?"

"Uhh, wha- OH GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooodddddddsssssss~!" He said as I launched him away with a repulsion glyph.

My smirk turned into a full-on smile. "Good riddance."

"And that's why she calls you the Ice Queen." A feminine voice said behind me.

I quickly turned to face her… …only to see both Blake and Ruby staring at me. Ruby adorned a smirk, her helmet at her hip, whereas Blake was her usual, neutral, self. "There you are!" I shouted as I walked up to my partner. "I've been looking all over for you!"

She raised her eyebrow. "Aaaand you couldn't've called me?" I opened my mouth to retort, but no words came out. "Heh, thought so. Anyways, whaddaya need?"

"Yang and I have decided that a team meeting is in order."

Her eyebrow raised again. "How private?"

"Very. It would be best if we return to that… basement…"

She sighed. "…Goddamnit, I was just there…" She did an about face and started walking away. "Call Yang and tell her to meet us there."

* * *

Ruby descended the ladder. "It really seems like we're having a lot of meetings lately." We all nodded in agreement. "Wait, shouldn't you guys be dead tired?"

"It's a good thing coffee exists, then." I said. "I'm guessing you're not because of your… augmentations? I believe you called them."

"Got it in one." She crossed her arms and leaned against a wall. "So, what's _this_ meeting about?"

I looked to my partner's sister, who nodded her head. "We… were wondering something…"

"Uh-huh."

"If the Covenant _do_ find Remnant, what do we do?"

She sighed. "Depends on how many bodies they bring." She chuckled darkly. "A couple of ships? Atlas can probably take 'em with their airfleet. A handful? The air game would end in a draw and we'd fight them on the ground. A dozen? A kingdom might fall. Several dozen? We evacuate as many as we can."

"Atlas currently has fifty-seven capital-weight airships in its fleet, why do you think they'd be so ineffective?"

"Because those airships were designed to fight Grimm. They're unshielded, have light armament, and are tiny. Heh, tell me, Weiss, how large is a Sovereign-Class battlecarrier?"

"It is approximately four-hundred-thirty meters from bow to stern, why?" I answered with a raised eyebrow.

"Heh, and how's about the armament of an Aurora-Class Dreadnought?" She said with a deadpan look on her face.

"Its primary armament is one spinal mounted high-yield pulse laser, though it has five medium-yield dual pulse laser turrets on each broadside. For long-range engagements, it has a battery of four Phalanx anti-ship missile launchers." I recited from memory.

She grinned. "Alright, now… let me tell you of the Charon-Class _Light Frigate._ " She paused. "Its just under four-hundred-ninety meters-"

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed. "That's a _frigate?!"_

"Yeah, and a _light_ one at that." She gave a dark chuckle. "Anyways, it comes equipped with a Mark-II spinal mounted MAC, Magnetic Accelerator Cannon, that has a potential yield of over ten times that high-yield beam laser on the dreadnought."

She sighed. "Now, it also has fifty Archer missile pods, thirty missiles each, plus four twin-linked 50mm point-defense guns and three Hyperion nuclear missile silos." I stood there, speechless, as she continued. "And a single one of these are basically useless on their own. In fact, their primary role is to deploy ground troops."

"…So, your saying that… that if they find us…"

She nodded grimly. "For what it's worth… I'm sorry…"

After well over a minute, I finally managed to steel myself. "…What do we do in the second scenario? The one where Atlas can take down a significant number of them."

"Same as scenario three. We deploy to whatever kingdom is under attack, Likely either Vale or Atlas to start with."

At this point, her sister chimed in. "But they can just glass everything from orbit! What do we do then?!"

"Then we fight on our terms." At our confused expressions, she elaborated. "They have orbit-capable transport and we have aura. They'd need well over a dozen-to-one odds to win any ground battle against huntsmen, provided said huntsmen don't stand around like idiots. I'd say that we go board a ship or two and take 'em out from the inside."

"Okay, we have a… somewhat solid plan…" I said. "Now, how likely is it that they would find us?"

"While it _could_ happen, Remnant has better odds than any UEG world ever did. The CCT doesn't extend beyond the atmosphere, meaning there's no outbound signals to trace. No one knows about this place, meaning no civilian traffic to follow. That only leaves two options: Either a UNSC or UEG ship stumbles upon us fleeing from the covvies, or _they_ randomly find us… To be honest, I'm not sure which I'd prefer."

"…"

"…"

"…Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would they do this?" Blake asked.

She sighed. "We asked them the same question… only response we ever got was a message that said, 'Your destruction is the will of the gods, and we are their instrument.'"

We all stood in silence before I spoke up. "Why would they think that religion of all things is a valid reason to _exterminate_ an entire species?"

"…It's really not a reason…" She said dejectedly. "Well, is there anything else?"

Yang sighed. "We… we want you to train us to fight _them_."

Ruby blinked. "Uhh… okay… was not expecting _that_ of all things… But, sure, I can train you. Heh, a Spartan trained me, after all…"

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought the Spartan program was relatively new."

"Well, the Spartan-III program is… my mentor was a Spartan-II. Lieutenant Commander Kurt-051." She let out a giggle. "But you didn't hear he was a Spartan from me… ONI might have my head." She made a cutting motion over her neck with her fingers.

I crossed my arms. "Can you tell us what the difference between each… kind of Spartan are?"

"Yeah, long story short, Spartan-I's were a project that pre-dated the Insurrection, mostly a failure, though I heard some were still active after all these years. Spartan-II's were made to fight the Insurrection, though they proved extremely effective against the Covenant when they showed up. All of 'em were given a set of MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor." She pounded on her armored chest. "Kinda like this one, though they got to test the old Mark-IV's… kinda bulkier than this one and they squished the lady bits if ya had 'em."

"The Spartan-III's were a bit different than our predecessors in that we were divided into companies. I'm from Beta company, hence the 'B' at the beginning of my service tag." She sighed. "We were meant to be disposable." She leaned back against her wall. "Alpha company got sent to destroy a covvie shipyard. Though they succeeded, everyone sent there died." She sighed again. "Then there was Beta. Those of us that Kurt couldn't justify saving got sent on Operation TORPEDO, they wanted us to blow up a fuel refinery." She paused. "I was one of the unlucky bastards that got to go… I… would really rather not get into it…" She said. "Then there's Gamma company, they graduate in a few months… Hear they're planning on one more company, Delta, I think they're called."

"Okay, I suppose that makes things a little clearer."

"No problem, Ice Queen."

"Hey, uhh, sis?"

"Yeah?"

"Earlier you said that you got… uhh… augmented like ten years ago. So I was wondering… how long have you been doing this?" Yang asked.

"Eh, ever since I arrived, actually." She responded nonchalantly.

Her eyes widened. "W- What?! But you were _five_!"

She shrugged as our eyes widened as well. "Yeah, that's the standard age for Spartan training."

"Hold on." I interjected. "You're telling me that your army uses _child soldiers_?!"

She sighed. "A wise man once said: 'When extinction is on the line, every alternative is preferable'. Besides, all Spartan-III's, including me, were volunteers."

I crossed my arms. "Oh? And what of the other two types of Spartans? The first and second generations?"

"Spartan-I's were augmented after years of service in the Marine Corps and/or Orbital Drop Shock Troopers." She said, dodging my question.

I frowned. "And what about the second generation?"

She stared at me for a moment. "That's classified."

I frowned in understanding. "They were unwilling children, weren't they?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that statement." She paused for a moment. "Remember what I said earlier about extinction." She sighed. "Anyways, let's all get some rest… Its been a tough couple days…"

It appeared Blake couldn't agree more, as she slumped over and was asleep within seconds.

Ruby giggled. "…Yang, can you grab your partner?"

* * *

"Remind me again why we went to the city in such… drab clothing?" It had already been a day or so since we watched the fall of Reach. Ruby had insisted that we wear what she called 'exercise gear' for this… outing, I guess it could be called. Our attire consisted of running shoes, baggy grey sweatpants, an equally baggy tank top (each one colored to be appropriate for the wearer), and black fingerless gloves.

"Because we're gonna be movin'!"

I raised an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, can we do in a city that could not be accomplished within the campus forest?"

"Well, Miss trips-on-roots," She began while I let out an indignant 'Hey!'. "I wanna make sure you all know the most efficient way to move in a city."

I sighed in exasperation. "And what would that be…?"

She grinned and quickly ducked into an alleyway. We turned to follow her… …only to be met with an empty space. We all stared blankly into the alley before Blake spoke up. "I don't see any rose petals… so she's still here…" She strode in. "Ruby, you can come out now."

…

Her sister joined her partner. "Rub-"

"Magic, huh?"

"GAH!" We all yelped at the sudden appearance of our leader behind us. We swiftly recovered and collectively glared at our smirking leader.

"I'm a bit rusty, but I think I've still got it." She said as a single rose petal floated down past her head. She clapped her hands together. "So, today we're gonna do a bit of free running… or 'Urban Mobility' if you've got a stick up your ass." She said, throwing up a pair of air quotes.

I sighed. "Let's just get on with… whatever you have planned."

She shrugged. "Okay, so the idea is to use whatever is available to scale buildings." She ran over to a wall, ran up it _without_ her semblance and secured a hand-hold before catapulting herself up to the next one, eventually reaching the top. "Like so." She folded her arms. "So, who's first?"

Blake shrugged and tried to imitate the Spartan, though she was significantly slower. Her blonde partner was next, and she did a… passable job. She was no where near as acrobatic as either of the two that had gone before, and she almost lost her grip on multiple occasions. After about two minutes, she hauled herself up onto the roof.

Everyone looked at me expectantly, but I smirked and summoned a propulsion glyph before-

"No."

I blinked. "…Excuse me?"

"No semblances for this one." I was about to retort, but she silenced me with a wave. "Using your semblance drains your aura, and you might not be able to afford that in a fight." She gave me an encouraging grin. "Plus, this'll improve your reaction time and dexterity… both of which, you use all the time."

I dismissed the glyph with a mere thought. "Fine." I charged towards the wall and leaped up to catch myself… …only to miss and fall flat on my face… I silenced their laughter with a glare before I took note of what I had available to me. A smirk crawled its way onto my face as I finalized my plan and leaped onto my first target. I quickly secured myself before continuing onto my next target, and then the next, and the next, before finally leaping onto the roof with the rest of my team.

My leader gave me a smirk. "Not bad for a first-timer." I raised an eyebrow. "Blake's obviously done this before, this is almost the exact opposite of Yang's, well, everything… but I think you'll do well here."

"Hey, uhh, sis? Why'd you never use these moves on Reach?"

"Oh, because MJOLNIR is too heavy to use 'em with."

I raised an eyebrow. "You literally punched a Hunter midair when it was dismounting a dropship." I deadpanned.

"Ah, no, I meant that it tends to break the things I'm swinging from."

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense." I said, giving a slight nod.

"Yeah, now for lesson number two." She took off, albeit without her semblance, and jumped off the building… …only to land on the opposite one. "C'mon, daylight's-a-burnin'!"

Determined not to be the laughing stock of the team this time around, I immediately took off. I leaped from the building and managed to land on my feet at my destination.

Ruby nodded. "Good. Work on the landing, but everything else is good." I scarcely noticed the other two landing, for an authority figure was _actually_ pleased with my abilities. This… was a new feeling for me. Then I remembered something she said. 'Work on the landing.' I nodded to myself and took off. I vaguely heard one of my teammates shouting at me, but I ignored them.

I ran across the city, leaping from rooftop to rooftop and improving with each landing. Ahead, I saw a building with a slightly wider gap in between it and the next one. My heart was already pumping vigorously, but I had to make this one, last, jump. I leaped up with all my, admittedly meager, strength and I reached out for the ledge… …only for my fingers to painfully skid across the wall and allow me to plummet groundward.

I impacted with an audible thud, though my aura held. I groaned as I laid there, my limbs almost unwilling to move. After several seconds, I clawed my way onto my feet and observed my surroundings. I was in another alleyway, this one darker than the last. I started towards the exit before I stopped dead in my tracks. Why? Because I had heard something. Two distinct voices, both male, with one begging to be let go and the other gloating over his misfortune.

Someone was in trouble, and I was in a position to help.

I immediately reached for Myrtenaster… …only to find it absent. The begging turned into whimpering, and I decided I would help regardless of my armament. I rounded the corner and saw two brutish looking men standing over a raggedly dressed but lithe man.

The prone man let out a bloodcurdling scream and a third man stood up, bloody knife in hand. My eyes widened, but I felt my face twist into a snarl. "Leave this area immediately, ruffians!"

All three turned their attention to me, and the biggest one stepped forward. "Oh, well lookie what we got 'ere? A li'le girl playin' 'ero." A grin crawled its way onto his face. "Listen 'ere, girly. Ya don't wanna stick up fer _them_ , do ya?"

I stood my ground. "I will not warn you again. Leave."

He cackled. "Suit cherself. Russel, go teach the lady a lesson."

One of the other brutes sported a grin. "With pleasure, boss." He said, shortly before charging me.

When he had closed the distance half-way, he started winding up for a punch… …one that I sidestepped easily. I spied a small paint can off to the side and a grin formed on my face as an idea formed in my head. I stood between him and the can, my arms crossed. "You are leaving much to be desired." I goaded.

He grunted and charged me, once again winding up a monster punch. I sidestepped and triggered the glyph I had formed under the paint can, sending it flying into his forehead. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Ah, li'le girly's got a bi'e! I like-" He was cut off by a propulsion glyph slamming his head against his partner's.

"I tire of this conversation." I remarked, silently thanking Ruby for her idea during training. Remembering why I fought them in the first place, I rushed to the side of the injured man. I quickly called the emergency services, remembering the bloody knife I saw.

"119, what's your emergency?" The device said.

"I am currently in an alleyway; a man has been stabbed and the perpetrators are unconscious."

"EMS and Police are on the way, we have your location from your scroll. You may hang up now."

"Where are you hurt?" I asked the man.

"M- M- My tail…" He stammered out. "Th- They took it…" He started sobbing uncontrollably. I looked around and saw a wolf's tail a few feet away.

I froze. 'He's a Faunus?!' I thought to myself, surprised. 'He could be part of the White Fang.' I slowly backed away, looking him over for anything that might give me an answer. 'Yes, he is _definitely_ part of the White Fang.' My face twisted into a snarl. 'I already called the authorities, they'll deal with him.' Without another word, I walked away.

* * *

(A/N) So, faunus racism... Just to confirm, the thugs were _not_ team CRDL, I just thought Russel was a good name for a goon, lol. Weiss obviously has to move past the whole 'All faunus are secretly White Fang members' mentality, though imo she did so far too quickly in the show. Its okay if she never questioned it before, but a person as stubborn as her would at least try to defend her own position... for better or worse...

Earlier in the chapter, Ruby mentions that Spartans can't have children. When I was originally writing this, I thought that too, but upon review, that's actually not true. So I'm just gonna say that ONI told them at some point that Spartans cant have kids... for what ever reason.

I also shed some light on how I view the Atlesian Navy. Some of you might've noticed that they had a 'Dreadnought', a ship designation that is almost a hundred years out of date by our standards, and their use of a 'Battlecarrier'. This is to demonstrate that the RAN (Royal Atlesian Navy) has no idea what they're actually doing and is hopelessly outgunned by even a small-ish Covenant flotilla. Also, keep in mind that Weiss said Capital _weight_ warships... meaning that cruisers, destroyers, and frigates are lumped into that sum. One more thing on the subject of Navies, the other kingdoms all have their own airfleets... they're just tiny in comparison. For example, Vale has one heavy cruiser and three destroyers.

With Ruby's hacking, she's not as good as, say, Kat. But then again, she doesn't need to be. Also, she doesn't know everything, seeing as she doesn't have time to comb through everything that everyone has to hide. For instance, she doesn't know about Penny yet.

Reviews!

 **Guest 001** \- Yea, I think its safe to say that their issue with her methods has kinda gotten put on the backburner with the threat of the Covenant. Yea, I hadn't addressed it fully yet, but in chapter one I said that she was almost a full head taller than Blake, who is 5'6". I made her 'short' for a reason... and that would be that she's short in the show. I know that Lucy B-091 is stated to be 5'3", but the wiki says that her height was recorded at age 12, which leads me to believe that this is her pre-augmentation height.

 **Dragon lord Syed 101** \- She hasn't gotten into any specifics about how the war is going, but Weiss, being the inquisitive type, can probably infer that its not going well if 'Humanity's fortress world' is gone.

 **Roboman** \- To be honest, I just didn't think of it, lol.

 **Guest 002** \- To be honest, Weiss has kinda forgotten about that incident... Also, Ruby didn't want to scar her teammates for life by showing them a Brute ripping a person limb from limb.

 **seraphimnight** \- Yea, sorry to disappoint, lol. I'm certainly not opposed to writing a short reaction fic of _WBY watching Ruby during Reach, though I'd pretty much pause my writing with this one to get to that.

 **psp reader** \- Yep, loads of those in this chapter as well.

 **Guest 003** \- Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it.

 **lowrex** \- Thanks! Hope you liked this one as well.

And that's it for this week's chapter. 'Rotenwald' is next!


	8. Rotenwald

(A/N) Been a while since I had something to actually talk about at the top here. But lemmie just say that **there is an important announcement in the bottom author's note, please read it.** No, the series is not being discontinued, I'll just alleviate that concern now. And now since I have your attention because of the bold text, lemmie just say that the issue of Spartans being infertile was actually addressed in last chapter's A/N. Also, I realized that I was an idiot and forgot to put the story's characters in the description... that's fixed now (finally)...

Also, we broke 100 Favorites! Thank you guys so much!

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, so on with the chapter!

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 4/10/19

* * *

Chapter Eight – Rotenwald

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Beacon Academy /-\

* * *

"This is the part… where you lose."

"Over my dead-" He was interrupted by Cardin kneeing him in the groin before promptly falling over. His adversary stood above him, mace raised.

Before he could strike, Miss Goodwitch called the match. "Cardin, that's enough." She started. "While it is true that you are among the strongest of the first-year fighters, relying on strength and strength alone will get you nowhere." He let out a huff before walking away. "Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now… if you find yourself unable to manually gauge your aura, please refer to your scroll, as it is calibrated to give an accurate reading to within half of a percent. In case you've forgotten, the threshold for disqualification by aura level is fifteen-percent." He sighed before getting up to exit the ring. She then turned to address the class. "Remember everyone, the semi-annual Vytal Festival begins in September of next year, meaning you have a little under ten months left to prepare."

Both my partner and my sister looked excited, though Blake was her usual, neutral, self. Glynda continued as Yang threw a few punches into the air. "Those of you that choose to participate will be representing all of Vale. In only a few short months, this year's exchange students will begin arriving in the kingdom, and I expect every one of you, regardless of your participation in the tournament, to be on your best behavior." The bell rang, though I couldn't help but notice that Jaune looked sullen as he walked past me.

"Hey, sis, did Jaune seem a little… _off_ to you?" I asked as we walked out of the classroom.

She blinked. "Uhh… kinda, why?"

"I think Cardin's getting to him."

"You're right, Ruby." Blake said, entering the conversation.

"Blake!" My sister jumped a little bit. "W- When did you get here?"

"She was with us the entire time, sis…" I deadpanned, but received only a confused expression. "Don't tell me you didn't notice Weiss either." She turned her head and jumped a little at the sight of my partner raising an eyebrow. I sighed. "We need to work on your spacial awareness…"

"Let's get back on topic." Blake interjected. "Anytime those two are together, Jaune seems on edge. And considering who we're dealing with, it's not exactly difficult to figure out why."

I pushed open the door to the cafeteria… …only to immediately catch an apple thrown at my face. I looked around and saw the very surprised face of the man in question: Cardin Winchester. I thought about retaliating in kind, but I decided against it, instead, shrugging and taking a bite of the apple. We walked right by him and I gave him a smirk as I deposited it onto his plate. "Its quite rude to throw things, wouldn't cha say, Winchester?" He glared at me and growled through his teeth. I gave him a smirk. "Let's go, ladies." I said as we strutted off.

* * *

"So, there we were. In the middle of the night…"

"It was day."

"We were surrounded by Ursai."

"They were Beowolves."

"Dozens of them!" She said as she shot up from her seat.

"…Two of 'em…"

"But they were no match. And Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs."

Ren sighed. "She's been having this recurring dream for over a month now…"

I raised an eyebrow. "Hang on a minute… how are you correcting _her_ dreams?"

He sighed again. "She talks in her sleep… a lot…"

Jaune let his head hit the table. "Yeah… sounds about right…"

"Jaune…?" His partner said, turning to him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… just peachy. Why?" He said, his head still metaphorically stuck to the table.

"Well…" I started, trying to figure out a way to say it. 'Oh, fuck it.' "No. You're not okay."

He lifted his head up. "Huh? What makes you say that?" Suddenly, our attention was drawn to team CRDL, who was harassing a Rabbit Faunus. Jaune clenched his fist while looking in their direction.

"Heh, normally, I'd offer to make him have an unfortunate… hmm… _accident,_ tha-"

"OOOH!" Nora suddenly stood up. "Like breaking his legs?!" She said, a psychotic grin plastered on her face.

I facepalmed. "Goddamnit Nora…" I sighed, removing the hand from my face. "As I was _saying…_ That's what I would normally do, buuuut I think-"

"OWWWW! THAT HURTS!"

We all looked over to see Cardin _pulling on her ears._ "Okay… Be right back." I stood up and stormed over to them. "'Ey fuckface!" I yelled.

The cafeteria went _silent._ Cardin's face grew a bemused smirk. "Oh, would you look at that. Two _freaks_ for the price of one!"

I crossed my arms and gave him the worst death glare I had ever given. "Let. Her. Go."

He laughed. "Ohhhh I am _so_ sorry." He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, I swear on my honor as a Winchester that I'll never bother her again."

"Cardin Winchester," I said. "I will _not_ warn you again."

A cruel smirk grew on his face. "Oh yeah? Well, how do ya like _this_?" He said as he tightened his grip on the Faunus's ear while _twisting._

She screamed in pain and I immediately leaped into action. I burst into rose petals, almost instantaneously appearing to his side. Before he even had the chance to realize I was gone, I had already grabbed the offending hand and forced it to release her ear, though I may have overdone it… …if the sound of bones snapping was anything to go by…

'Good to know his aura's down.' I thought shortly before catching a glimpse of his eyes starting to widen. I shifted my grip on his hand and forced his arm backwards while striking his elbow with my other hand…

 **-Crack-**

…bending his arm fully backwards… Time sped back up to its normal pace and I glared at his teammates. "Huh, it seems your leader has had an… _unfortunate_ accident…" I giggled. "I think you should take him to the nurse's office." They stared at me for a moment before one shakily nodded and started picking up their leader's, still screaming, form. Seconds later, they disappeared.

My fury immediately broke and I turned to the injured Rabbit Faunus. I knelt down next to her. "Hey." I said, voice barely above a whisper. She didn't answer, and I could tell she was terrified. "Its alright, I'm not gonna hurt you." The expression of terror slowly started to abate, though she was still very reserved. "How bad is it?"

She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up. "I- It's- It's okay…"

"Good." I gave her a warm smile. "I'm Ruby." I said, slowly extending my hand.

Her eyes darted between my hand and my face several times, likely looking for any trace of hostile intent. Finally, she shakily accepted the gesture. "V- Velvet…"

"Nice to meet cha." I started getting up. "Can you stand?"

"Y- Yeah…" She responded.

"Alright." I said, giving her a little assistance. "Where's your team? I can take you to them if you want."

"I- I- I-"

"VELVET!" A familiar voice yelled. Suddenly, a _very_ angry fashionista jumped between us. "Get away from her!" I jumped back with my hands up in a nonthreatening position.

"W- Wait-" Velvet stammered out.

"Velvet get out of here! I can take her!"

"N- No, you don't-"

"I SAID GO!"

"COCO!" The chocolate-themed girl froze and slowly turned towards her teammate. "S- She isn't the one who hurt me."

Her guard instantly dropped. "…Oh." She rubbed the back of her head. "Well, this is awkward…"

I shrugged. "Eh, its no big deal. You thought your teammate was in danger and you reacted. Trust me, I know the feeling."

She blinked. "Okay, well… obviously no hard feelings on my part… See ya 'round, Ruby."

"Yep, see ya Fashionable." I said, giving a wave as I rejoined my team at the table. "Alright, where were we?"

Everyone looked at me with a completely blank expression before Jaune finally spoke up. "D- Don't take this the wrong way b- but… You are the single most terrifying person I've ever met."

I stared at him blankly for a moment before shrugging. "Eh, not the worst I've been called." I giggled. "Also, you're not wrong."

He nervously laughed. "Well… good to see I'm right about something, I guess…"

"Hmm… Oh yeah! We were trying to figure out how to deal with Cardin… Heh, something tells me he won't be a problem for a while…"

"How did you do that?!" Nora suddenly shouted. "Like, one second, you're in front of him, then he's got a broken arm!"

I smirked and shrugged. "Classified." Nora immediately deflated, and I regained my serious tone. "Alright, knowing him, this'll only keep him down for a few days at best. To get him to actually stop, we need some dirt on him. Any ideas?"

Pyrrha shifted uncomfortably. "Are you sure that's… morally acceptable?"

"Well…" I put my hand up to my chin in mock thought. "Which is less acceptable? Watching someone get away with blatant racism _and_ bullying? Or trying to make sure it doesn't happen anymore?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't have gotten away with it…"

"Yeah, he would've gotten away scot free." I motioned around the room. "See any teachers? Any security?" They looked around and were stunned to find that my observation was correct. "Its fairly obvious that they don't care in the slightest about what happens here. Hell, I'd wager it'd take someone destroying the place to get a reaction out of them." I laughed. "I literally broke someone's arm in half, and so far, the only one to respond was a random second-year student."

Pyrrha deflated slightly. "I suppose I can concede your point…"

"Yeah, so I just realized something. During our little… _disagreement_ , he mentioned something about his 'honor as a Winchester'. Any idea what that means?"

"His family is practically a minor noble house." Blake started. "His great-great-grandfather was a general in the Great War, for his service, he was awarded quite a bit of land north-west of Vale. Eventually, people moved there and built a town, Winshire, if I recall correctly." She sighed. "That town has always had some of the worst Faunus discrimination in the entire kingdom."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then why don't the 'Fang target it?"

"Because Faunus know to stay away from there… and I guess w- _they_ always considered the SDC a bigger threat." Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Or at least that's what I've heard…" Blake quickly amended.

A smirk crossed my face. "Well, Blake, would you say his family's actions go against the Vytal treaty?"

She nodded. "Oh definitely."

I grinned. "Alright, so what you're saying is that if we could get proof that the Winchesters practically wiped their collective asses with that part of the treaty…"

"…Then the Vale council would have no choice but to revoke their ownership of the land." Blake said, her usually stoic expression broken with a devilish grin. "Yes, that's _exactly_ what I'm saying."

Weiss sighed. "And here I thought I'd gotten away from courtly intrigue by coming here…" I snickered when she basically admitted to being royalty. "Don't be a pest, Oaf."

I gave a mock salute. "Yes, my Queen."

The whole table erupted in laughter while my partner buried her head in her hands. "I hate you."

"Keep tellin' yourself that, Weiss." I giggled. "Alright, we should probably get ready for history class now."

The rest of the table groaned before reluctantly agreeing.

* * *

I stood outside the history classroom and the green-haired Doctor sped out, shortly followed by Jaune.

"Ah-Miss-Rose! You-had-a-question-for-me?"

"Well, during your lecture, you said something happened to the White Fang… and I was kinda curious because I thought they were always violent…. Just not _this_ violent."

He cleared his throat, signifying that he'd slow down his speech. "Ah, while it may be true that the underlings of the organization, and some of the higher-ranking members, have always preferred violence, their leaders have not." He took a sip from his coffee. "For instance, Ghira Belladonna did his best to promote Faunus rights while advocating for peace at the same time. During his tenure as high-leader, it was only those under radicals like Adam Taurus that participated in raids against Humans. However, once Ghira stepped down and Sienna took over, the organization morphed into what you see today." He shook his head. "A sad turn of events, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, see ya later, Profess- err, _Doctor_ Oobleck."

He nodded in appreciation. "Oh-one-more-thing-Miss-Rose." I turned to him. "Mister-Arc-forgot-his-textbook-in-my-room, can-you-bring-it-to-him?" I nodded. "Thank-you! Run-along-now!" He said, handing me the textbook before speeding off.

I shrugged and went off to follow Jaune, who I remembered had been dragged off by Pyrrha. I sighed, trying to think of where they would go. Suddenly, I remembered something. Pyrrha trained on one of the rooftops of the dorms every night. I decided to jog over to them, a little exercise couldn't hurt, after all.

I reached the door to the roof and just started twisting the handle- "-lied!" I heard through the door, giving me pause. "I got my hands on some fake transcripts… and I lied…"

"What?" His partner asked. "But… Why?"

"Cause this is what I always wanted to be! My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors… They were all heroes!" He paused. "And I wanted to be one too…. I was just never good enough…"

"Then let me help you-"

"I don't _want_ help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress. I wanna be the hero!"

"Jaune… I-"

"I'm tired of being the lovable idiot stuck in the tree while his friends fight for their lives, don't you understand? If I can't do this on my own… then what good am I?" There was a pregnant pause and I heard scuffling from beyond the door. "Just… leave me alone… Okay?"

"…If that's what you think is best…" I heard Pyrrha say shortly before I heard footsteps coming towards the door.

I quickly backed away and hid around the corner. Seconds later, the door opened and a sullen Pyrrha walked through, heading for her dorm room. I whipped around and burst onto the roof, making Jaune jump in fright.

"Ruby? Wha-" I interrupted him with a slap to the face. "Owwww! What was that for?!"

"For being stupid." He gave me a confused expression. "I overheard your little conversation with Pyrrha."

He paled. "R- Ruby… Please… you can't tell anyone!"

I gave him a smirk. "You are either the luckiest man alive… or the unluckiest. Heh, its really hard to tell."

"W- What do you mean?"

"Well… I won't tell anyone…" He breathed a sigh of relief. "On a few conditions…" He gulped. "One: as soon as we're done here, you'll call Pyrrha, apologize, and take her up on her offer."

"Uhh… okay-"

"Two: You'll be joining Team RWBY in our morning exercises. Be in the courtyard by oh-six-hundred." He gulped again. "And Three:" I started, shoving his textbook into his chest. "Pay attention in fucking class. Knowledge is a better weapon than any rifle." I paused. "Well, I guess _sword_ in your case…"

He nodded sheepishly. "O- Okay… I can do that. Just… _please_ don't tell anyone…"

"You better. You're a huntsman-in-training now, Jaune. You said you wanted to be a hero, and this'll get you well on the way." I paused and decided to give him some additional motivation. "By the way, I'll let you stop coming with us on our morning routine when you can beat Cardin with more than 50% of your aura remaining." I started walking away but paused at the door. "Oh, and next time you want to reveal a secret… try finding somewhere a bit quieter than directly above Team CRDL's room. You're lucky I put their leader in the hospital today, or he might have overheard as well…" I unlatched the door and just before I clicked it shut, I heard him sheepishly greet his partner.

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long /-\

* * *

I nervously shifted as the elevator ascended to the headmaster's office. I had been called up shortly after Doctor Oobleck's uneventful lecture, though I was not worried about being in trouble. What I was worried about was accidentally revealing the things my sister had told me not to.

The elevator dinged, and I stepped into his office. He looked up from his desk. "Ah, Miss Xiao Long. Just on time." I gave a light laugh at his obvious, and successful, attempt to make me nervous… …given I was supposed to report to him a week ago… He motioned to the seat opposite his desk. "Please, have a seat." I did so, and he stared at me in silence for several minutes before he finally continued. "Well?"

I gave him a wide grin, one that I'm sure he saw right through. "Well what? Professor? I uhh…. I have no idea what you're talking about. Hehe…"

"You know full well of our agreement, Miss Xiao Long. Now, I must ask that you give your report."

"Uhh- Uhh… Alright… Uhh, w- whaddaya wanna know about her?"

He gave me an unimpressed look. "Is your sister, Ruby Rose, a threat?"

"T- That depends…" He raised an eyebrow. "If you wanna kill lots of people, then yeah… Otherwise, just don't make her angry."

"Interesting." He took a sip of his coffee. "Are you privy to any of her… secrets?"

I hesitated, looking for an answer that would both satisfy him and not reveal her secrets. "W- well… there were other Spartans out there…" A half-truth.

He raised an eyebrow. "Were?"

"Y- Yeah. Her old team died because of terrorists." A cross between a half-truth and an outright lie.

He took another sip of his coffee. "Tell me, has she told you of this _UNSC_ that is constantly referenced on her equipment?"

"Yeah, they made the Spartans." I said, trying to keep the conversation as far away from the Covenant as possible.

"If this… 'UNSC' were to find Remnant, what would be their course of action?"

I hummed in thought. "Y- You'd have to ask Ruby, she uhh... she knows them better than I do."

He studied me for a moment. "Very well. One more thing, Miss Xiao Long," He smirked. "it seems that Team RWBY has taken a liking to a rather… _brutal_ , training regimen. Might I ask why?"

"W- Well, uhh… w- we just wanna be the best huntresses we can be." I said, desperately hoping he'd buy it.

He studied me for a moment. "Very well, though might I suggest going a tad bit easier on yourselves? It seems that I receive a report from Professor Goodwitch fairly often that, in the morning, Team RWBY's auras are not full during her class."

"Y- Yeah… we'll uhh… take it easier…" I lied.

He smiled. "That is all I can ask." He pressed a button on his desk and the elevator doors opened behind me. "Thank you for your time, Miss Xiao Long."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Uhh, yeah. No problem." I said as I awkwardly shuffled towards the elevator.

* * *

I burst into my dorm room and immediately headed over to my bed. Just as I was about to grab the pillow and start screaming into it, someone grabbed my shoulder. I turned around to see the face of my partner. "Is everything alright, Yang?"

I hesitated for a moment… and then two moments… and then five… and then-

"Yang?" A different voice called out.

I turned to face my sister's partner. "I… uhh… we should probably wait for R-"

The door burst open. "Hey, guys! I'm finally-" She paused for a minute. "What's wrong, sis?"

"…Shut the door." She did so with a raised eyebrow. "You remember when I got called up to Ozpin's office on the first day of classes?"

They all gave me blank looks for a second before Blake raised her eyebrow. "I thought you were upset about Ruby."

I shifted nervously. "Y- Yeah, I was… But that day, Ozpin asked me… well… to spy on her."

Ruby burst into rose petals and reformed into her armor. "Bunker. Now." Her tone left no room for argument. She stormed out the door, and we were right behind her.

* * *

"Start from the beginning." My sister commanded just after she descended the ladder.

I took a steadying breath. "Right after class, Ozpin came to me and called me to his office."

"Personally?"

"Yeah. At first, I uhh- I kinda thought I was in trouble." I started. "But then we got to the office and… He showed me what happened when you got to Vale…"

She raised an eyebrow. "Whaddaya mean?"

I shifted nervously. "I- I mean… the dust shop… the one Torchwick robbed…"

"Wait, he showed you that?" I meekly nodded. "Yeah… he has officially lost any semblance of trust I had in him."

Blake raised an eyebrow. "What happened there?"

"Eh, to be honest, not much." My sister started. "Killed a few goons, apprehended the most wanted man in Vale… Heh, all in a day's work for a Spartan." Her expression turned serious. "What I'm mad about is that he _specifically_ went against my wishes and showed the footage to someone else." Her hands balled into fists. "What I'm _pissed_ about is that he tried to drive a wedge between me and my mother fucking _sister_ of all people!" We all stood in shocked silence for a moment before she took a breath. "What did you tell him?"

I blinked, not really expecting her to calm down so easily. "Uhh, wha-"

"This is obviously the first time you've reported to him. I want to know what he knows."

"Oh, uhh… Not really much. I told him that your last team died because of terrorists. He wanted to know what would happen if the UNSC found Remnant and I told him to ask you. And then he told me to find an easier training method."

She crossed her arms. "So, he doesn't know about the Covenant?"

"Nope."

She smirked. "Well, I'd say you did a good job. Nice touch with the terrorists, by the way."

I rubbed the back of my head. "It was kind of a spur of the moment thing…"

She waved me off. "Don't sell yourself short, ya did good sis." Her face turned serious. "But now we need to talk about our next move." I blinked. "So, were you nervous?"

"Uhh… Yeah?" I responded, not knowing where she was going with this.

She smirked. "Good… We can use this."

"I… umm-"

"Next time you meet, I want you to keep givin' him bullshit. And nothing _but_ bullshit."

"Uhh… like what?"

She shrugged. "I dunno… tell him there's a planet somewhere made entirely of watermelons… or something…"

Blake raised an eyebrow. "That's… oddly specific. Does-"

"No."

"Oh, okay then." She finished.

"So, what's the rest of the plan?" I asked.

"That's it for you guys. But I have a feeling that he'll… _misplace_ some important documents."

"And how do you plan on accomplishing that? The headmaster's office is one of the most secure locations on campus!"

"Oh, Weiss… I'm a professional," She giggled. "leave the details to me."

She blinked. "You know, the more I hear you giggle, the more I agree with _Arc_ of all people…"

"Heh, well again, he's not wrong." She said, shrugging. "Oh, that reminds me!" She said, a smirk breaking out on her face. "He has _volunteered_ to train with us." She turned directly to her partner. "How'd ya feel about doing the first half of his 'aura depletion' training?"

She blinked shortly before a devilish grin broke out on her face. "Oh, I would very much appreciate the opportunity."

* * *

I looked at the time on my new watch. "Uhh, he's coming, right sis?"

"He better be." She checked the time as well. "But he still has a couple minutes to get here."

I hear Blake's back crack as she stretches. "He's not going to have enough time to limber up."

I throw a few punches into the empty space in front of me. "So, what's the plan, boss?"

"Well, as soon as Vomit Boy get here, we'll start our warmup. Then we'll get to the standard combat training, before finishing off with aura depletion." She rattles off.

I raised an eyebrow. "Going easy on us?"

She smirks. "You guys've been bustin' your asses for the last week, I think its about time you get a light day." She smirks. "Heh, doesn't mean it'll happen very often, though."

I punched my fists together. "Wouldn't have it any other way, sis."

Suddenly, she put her hands behind her back. "Ah, well… Looks like he brought a 'plus one'." She giggled. "And she's wearing heels."

"What're you-" She holds a finger up to her lips and I silence myself. After a couple seconds, I hear the telltale sound of high-heels. "Oh, yeah, I hear it now. I'm guessing you heard it first because of… well…" I gestured to her. "ya know…"

She grinned. "Yep!" She said, popping the 'P'. "Alright, Ice Queen, why don't you hang back with Little Red over there and make sure she doesn't trip over any roots like you did."

I blinked. "How do you know it's-" Two figures emerged from the darkness, Jaune and- "-Pyrrha…" I paused. "You know, I'm just gonna stop questioning you…"

She grinned. "Probably for the best." She clapped her hands together and turned to our new arrivals. "Alright, everybody's here!"

"Hello." Pyrrha greets with a friendly smile. "I hope I'm not intruding. I've been curious about your routine for a while now, and when I learned that you invited Jaune, I asked if I could join."

Jaune clutched his head. "Not so loud… its earlyyyyyyyyyyy…"

"I've already been up for over an hour." My sister said before giggling. "You're gonna have a bad time, Vomit Boy. You two have about…" She checked her watch. "Two minutes fifteen seconds to limber up."

His partner immediately started doing as she was told, but Jaune just stood there. "…Wha-?"

"Two minutes!" He quickly started stretching and Ruby smirked. "That's what I thought."

"So, if I may ask…" Pyrrha started. "…why wear something other than your combat attire?"

"Oh, umm…" I started. "We, uhh… take our workouts very seriously. Its just easier on everyone if we wear these baggy clothes." I said, gesturing to the same garments we wore when we were free running.

She raised an eyebrow. "I suppose." She paused. "What will we be doing today, by the way?"

"Well, you're kinda in luck, we're-"

"Alright! Form up!" My sister commanded. "R-J, W-P, B-Y!" _WBY nodded and formed up. Weiss stood behind her partner, with Blake behind her and me beside my partner. "Jaune! Right next to me. Pyrrha! Behind him!" Jaune lined up next to my sister… on her _left_ side… "Other side!" He quickly, and sheepishly, corrects himself and we set off.

After twenty minutes, we're all, sans Ruby, breathing heavily, though WPBY's are rhythmic and controlled whereas Jaune is huffing and bellowing for air. "Can… we… stop…?"

" **NO!"** Came our reply.

"Cheer up, Vomit Boy!" He huffed and groaned. "Let's get a cadence goin'!"

" **OORAH!"**

"Helljumper, Helljumper, where ya been?" Ruby starts, much to Jaune and Pyrrha's confusion.

" **Helljumper, Helljumper, where ya been?"** We responded, almost startling the other two in our group.

"Feet first into hell and back again!"

" **Feet first into hell and back again!"** Pyrrha caught on quickly, joining in our chant… if a bit quietly.

"When I die please bury me deep!"

" **When I die please bury me deep!"** Jaune joined in between breaths, and Pyrrha increased her volume.

"Place an M45 by my feet!"

" **Place an M45 by my feet!"**

"Don't cry for me, don't shed no tear!"

" **Don't cry for me, don't shed no tear!"**

"Just pack my box with PT gear!"

" **Just pack my box with PT gear!"**

"Cuz one early mornin' 'bout zero-five!"

" **Cuz one early mornin' 'bout zero-five!"**

"The ground will rumble, there'll be lightnin' in the sky!"

" **The ground will rumble, there'll be lightnin' in the sky!"** We rounded a corner and I saw Beacon's courtyard in the distance.

"Don't chu worry, don't come undone!"

" **Don't chu worry, don't come undone!"**

"It's just my ghost on a PT run!"

" **It's just my ghost on a PT run!"** We finished, finally arriving back where we started.

Jaune immediately collapsed and Ruby threw a water bottle at his face. He only groaned in response. "Alright, take five. Grab a water, lay down, just do whatever."

"If I may ask," Pyrrha starts. "what was that?"

"That's a cadence." Ruby answered as she was doing one-armed pushups. "Makes it a little easier to run, which is why I saved it for when Jaune was struggling."

"That sounds reasonable, though does it have to be that… morbid? Also, would you mind explaining what a 'Helljumper' is?"

She hummed. "Only the military ones are…" She shrugged. "And a Helljumper is… well, let's just say they're shock troopers." She said, all of RWBY knowing that it was a half-truth.

Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a bit… _young_ to have served in the armed forces?"

"Yep, but I was practically raised by military types. Me and my adoptive siblings had to be disciplined out in the wilds." Another half-truth was spoken, and I cast my gaze downwards. She clapped her hands together. "But enough of this depressing shit." She turned her gaze to _WBY. "How do ya guys feel about a little… _evening stroll_ tonight?" She asked.

Weiss crossed her arms. "Oh? Did we get parts for the _vacuum_?"

She grins. "Yep! Just came in. We'll pick 'em up while we're out _stargazing_."

Blake put her hand to her chin. "I'm up for it, how're the _trees_ this time of year?"

"Eh, I dunno… maybe a _Gemstone_ would know _._ "

Blake nods in agreement and I give my opinion. "Sure, why not. We gonna pick up some _ants_? I uhh… always wanted a few as pets."

"Nah, the _pound_ 'll get 'em."

We all turned our attention to the other two members of our party… …shortly before bursting out laughing. Pyrrha eyed each one of us curiously. "Are… are you on drugs?"

We all looked at each other before bursting out into another bout of laughter. After a good minute of nonstop laughter, Ruby looked at her. "Nah, we just like messin' with people." She giggled. "Anyways, break's over. Let's hop to it!"

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Forever Fall Forest /-\

* * *

"Ugh… I've been training with you guys for over a week now and I'm _still_ dead for the entire day…" Jaune remarked to us. "Seriously… just… **HOW**?! How do you deal with this?!" He chuckled nervously. "Uhh, not that I'm complaining, Weiss."

I huffed in annoyance, but was cut off before I could say anything. "Yes, students," Our chaperone, Professor Goodwitch, started. "the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sightsee. At the behest of _some_ students," She glared at Ruby. "the annual sap-collecting trip has been turned into a two-night survival expedition."

We all stared dumbly at the professor. "B- But… we didn't prepare! We don't have any food, no water, no tents, no-" A student started.

"Yeah, do you think whatever would put you in a survival situation would _let_ you prepare?" Ruby interrupted.

"Oh yeah? How'd you do without that fancy armor of yours?!" He shot back.

She shrugged. "Just fine, I've been in _much_ worse situations than that. Plus, you've seen how well I do in combat class without it." She turned to the professor. "Continue."

She glared at my partner for a moment before taking a deep breath. "As I was saying, I am your chaperone for this ordeal. During our stay, we will gather edible plants, hunt small animals, and, of course, make shelters. The arrangements are, ultimately, up to you, so long as each team stays together and the group as a whole stays fairly close to where I am making my shelter. During each night, each team will have at least one guard posted at all times. Any questions?" Silence. "Good, nightfall is in approximately six hours, I suggest you have an ample supply of firewood and a shelter constructed by then." Professor Goodwitch then walked away.

We all turned toward Ruby. "So, sis… when were you planning on telling us about this?"

She shrugged. "I wasn't, to be honest." I opened my mouth to retort, but she continued. "When I suggested that, they don't tell me when it'd be either. Meaning that even if I was _intending_ to tell you, I could only say 'be prepared for everything'."

I pinched my nose. "Let's just get moving…"

I couldn't read her expression under her helmet, but she sounded impassive. "Alright. Weiss, search for some building materials. Blake, Yang, get us something to eat and also look for a source of water. I'll start digging our little foxhole. And remember, stay close to camp, we're in Grimm territory." She said before she grabbed a stick and started to dig.

I walked away and started scanning the forest as I went, my hand on Myrtenaster's pommel the entire time. After about fifteen minutes, I had gotten a fair amount of wood… whether it would be useful or not, I had no idea. I heard a rustling in the brush behind me and I instantly whipped around, drawing my weapon.

…

Nothing emerged.

…

"Is anyone there?" I asked.

"…Uhh…" I heard a sheepish, feminine, voice say. "C- Can you h- help me?"

I moved aside the bushes and before me stood one of my classmates… tangled within a multitude of vines, bushes, and leaves. I pinched the bridge of my nose. "How did you even manage that?"

She gave a nervous chuckle. "I… well… I uhh… I don't know…"

I raised an eyebrow. "You need to watch what you're doing. If I hadn't come along, you might have been happened upon by a wolf. Or worse, a Grimm."

"U- Uhh… Yes ma'am!"

I sighed and started cutting her loose with Myrtenaster. "Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company." I severed the last vine and she fell to the ground with an 'Eep!'. I extended my hand for her to grasp and quickly pulled her up. "Now, I do believe you have me at a disadvantage. May I ask your name?"

"Uhh… Umm… S- Selini, Selini Lykos." She responds.

I raised an eyebrow. "Southern Mistrali?"

"Y- Yes ma'am."

I sighed. "There's no need for that. We're both huntresses-in-training, I'm not even the leader of a team." I said as I looked her over. The towering woman wore a gold, feminized, version of the classical Southern Mistrali Muscular Cuirass along with greaves and gauntlets of the same color. Under her armor sat a vibrant red, tight fitting, shirt and matching tights under her golden skirt. She had her dark-blonde hair tied in a tight bun with a single braid encircling her head. Her weapons, on the ground beside her, looked to be a spear and shield. Though instead of the circular shield that Pyrrha had, hers was in the shape of an oval. Also unlike her kinswoman's, Luna's was painted. The emblem, put in the left-hand corner of the shield, was what I assumed to be her huntress symbol: A semi-detailed King Taijitu baring its fangs while missing its right eye. Out of the eye sprouted two beams, the red one encompassing the upper right and the other, golden, beam covering the lower right of the shield.

"Uhh- Y- Yes, m- err- yes." She stammered out. I sighed as she picked up her weapons. I was just about to ask her where her team was when she bolted in back of me. As I was whipping around, I heard a scraping noise… …and saw that Selini had blocked a Beowolf from slicing at me. She quickly retaliated, impaling the beast and killing it in the process.

I scanned the perimeter and saw three more of its kind, one being an alpha. The two younger ones charged, one found itself on the end of Selini's spear, the other found that it now had five Myrtenaster-sized holes in its chest. Both dropped, the alpha charged, and I stabbed my sword through the ground, creating a massive ice spike. The alpha would have avoided the obstacle… …had it not been for me propelling it forward with a repulsion glyph.

The beast fell dead as my creation melted into nothingness and I turned to face my impromptu partner. Her blue eyes looked me over, making sure I was unharmed. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I- I don't think there's any more. W- We probably shouldn't stay here." I agreed, and she turned around to head away.

I froze at the sight of a blonde wolf's tail gently swaying back and forth.

* * *

(A/N) Aaaand more Weiss confronting her demons! Yay! In all seriousness, I'm still working on what her reaction is going to be to Selini being a Faunus… soooo yea, there's that. Also, for those too lazy for google translate, 'Selini Lykos' translates to 'Moon Wolf' in Greek. She'll have _some_ other purpose than helping Weiss with her racism issue, but as to what that role is… I'm not sure yet… Though I have written her backstory, so there's that…

 **/-Important-\**

Okay, so the important announcement that I mentioned in the top A/N… A lot of you were disappointed that I skipped _WBY's reaction to the fall of Reach entirely… so I'm gonna rectify that… Introducing: 'Ruby B-312: The Fall of Reach'! It'll be a five-chapter reaction fic of… well… _WBY reacting to the fall of Reach… I'm super creative, I know. Ch1 is already posted and covers 'Noble Actual' and 'Winter Contingency'. Also, I'm planning on releasing a Fall of Reach chapter at the same time as a regular Ruby B-312 chapter.

 **\\-Important-/**

So, now that that's out of the way, more discussing what happened in this chapter. Cardin got his ass kicked… Fun Fact: Originally, I had him back off and the whole confrontation would've been resolved peacefully… But then I thought about Jaune's confession and the fact that I wanted Ruby to overhear him, and I realized that Cardin would also overhear. So, I figured out a way to… _remove_ him from the equation. I think it turned out pretty well.

When Ruby is talking to Oobleck-and-his-text-is-written-like-this, its because he's speaking in his veryrapidpacedvoice. I put dashes in between the words to convey that, with her enhanced reaction time, Ruby is able to perfectly understand him… even though he's speaking a mile a minute.

I was kinda iffy on including the cadence, considering I'm not in any military, so if I made a mistake somewhere, just lemmie know. Also, I didn't make up the actual lyrics(?), just google "ODST cadence"… you'll find it eventually.

And now with the coded speech at the end. For those that couldn't figure out what they were talking about… here's basically what was being said: Ruby wants to go raiding(Evening stroll). Weiss asks if there's dust involved(Vacuum parts). Ruby says yes and that they'll be outside the city this time(Stargazing). Blake is okay with it and asks which forest it's in(Trees). Ruby says its in the Emerald forest(Gemstone). Yang wants to go too and asks if they'll need to escort the prisoners back to Vale(Pet ants). Ruby says no, they'll call the cops to pick them up(Pound)… Meanwhile Jaune and Pyrrha don't have any clue what's going on… That sequence was actually very fun to write.

And now we've come full circle to the Forever Fall forest… Next chapter that'll be resolved fully.

Now, on to the Reviews!

 **UnspokenTheWriter** – Thanks! And you'll just have to wait and see if the Covenant show up.

 **psp reader** – Yea, though I don't know if she would've rescued him if she knew about his heritage… a question that remains unanswered still.

 **Roboman** – Yea, I suppose they could… though they're kinda set in their ways and Ruby "isn't thinking with portals" yet… so possibly in the future? Idk.

 **firestarter09** – See the top A/N

 **Dragon lord Syed 101** – I fully plan on a Ruby vs Pyrrha fight at some point… I just don't know when. If the UNSC shows up, Jun probably won't be with them unfortunately. Also, she's not any younger than Jun remembers her to be, she always looked like a child to him. So, her opinions: WF – wannabe revolutionaries; Faunus – humans with animal bits stapled on (aka as human as, say, random marine 62,414,851, who she saw get mauled by a Brute somewhere); Remnant's military – Incompetent; Atlas – A kingdom that likes their military… big whoop. With your second review, no biggie, I got what you meant. And Thanks!

 **raw666** – I like that idea. Yea, that'll be interesting if that happens.

 **Guest 01/02** – She'll probably explain it in Ruby B312: The Fall of Reach.

 **Guest 03** – Nope, lol. Just a rando who wanted to mind his own business and dig through the trash for food.

 **Shadow Walker of Fire** – Thanks! And there is a very real possibility that they might show up. As for Halo characters… unfortunately there won't be any more non-OCs for this fic… probably… I might have some crazy idea a few volumes (of RWBY) down the line and, say, plop Jorge in for the hell of it. Just an example, that's probably not going to happen.

 **Glrasshopper** – Thanks! And yea, I kinda dropped the ball on one or two of the perspective changes last chapter… hopefully this one's better.

 **SmoothedBeast36** – I didn't know about not classifying destroyers and frigates as capital ships, though it doesn't surprise me. Cruisers does, though. Under that definition, Atlas would be the only one with capital ships… and have twelve of them at that (I named all of them, too lol). And with the Fall of Reach thing, I didn't want to dedicate a ton of chapters in this fic to its documentation, though both your review and several PMs have persuaded me to make a separate fic.

 **Guest 04** – Tbh, I completely forgot about that plot thread… lol… Guess that's gonna get shored up now, thanks for the reminder. Also, I plan for Tai to appear in chapter eleven in person… maybe a phone call before then, but no promises.

 **Guest 05** – Thanks!

 **RSN** – Thanks for the recommendations. I'll try to get by without doing the whole ' **RUBY POV** ' thing, buuut if it becomes obvious that I can't make it clear who's talking, then I'll have to do that.

 **herpaderp1028** – Thanks! And I have no intention of abandoning this… I'm just a bit busier now than I was when I published the first chapter.

 **Spartastic 4** – Yea, it was a little soon… but she also _wanted_ friends, and if she didn't tell them something then they would just keep doubting her and never actually start trusting anyone… so she was basically backed into a corner.

 **anthonyluna29** – It will be interesting to see when she _does_ find out… because she will find out about her eventually.

 **SenorGorilla** – Thanks! And she won't meet any more Spartan I's, II's, or III's… though I have a sneaking suspicion that she'll be meeting some "Spartan IV's". As for a prequel: I wasn't planning on it, but maybe in the faaar future… other than The Fall of Reach, of course.

And that looks like its it! This is by far the longest chapter so far… by almost 1k words, lol (I'm going by actual story content, not including A/N's) Anyways, see you guys next time in… 'Divide'


	9. Divide

(A/N) Edited for clarity and making Weiss less introspective; otherwise, minor fixes. Also removed that corny nightmare sequence.

* * *

Chapter Nine – Divide

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Forever Fall Forest /-\

* * *

"Umm, a- are you coming?" I heard her ask. All of my instincts were screaming at me that she was in the White Fang, and yet, she protected me from harm. All my life, I've been led to believe that every Faunus on Remnant is not only a part of the White Fang, but also that they _all_ want me dead… Most of the Faunus that I've come into contact with have reinforced this belief, and yet, here's one that not only has shown no hostile intent, but has also potentially _saved_ me. "K- Kyria Schnee?"

Her voice snapped me out of my stupor. "Are you a part of the White Fang?!" I yelled.

"W- Wha?"

"Answer the question!" I commanded.

"I- I don't know!"

I blinked. "What do you mean, you don't know?" I said, my voice slightly softer, though still commanding.

"I d- don't know what that is!"

I paused, studying her face for any sign of deceit... only to find none. "You… honestly don't know about the White Fang?" She meekly shook her head. "Well, they're a group of racial terrorists whose only accomplishments are in the number of people they've killed." I crossed my arms. "They have been prominent for years, how have you not even heard of them?"

"M- My Kyria, I- I am just a simple F- Fylakas… My douleia i- is only to slay daimones."

I raised an eyebrow. "Surely you would have read _something_ about them." I said, still disbelieving her story.

Her eyes darted all around the area before settling on the ground. "N- No…"

I crossed my arms and sighed. "Ignoring that subject, where is your team?"

She nervously shifted. "Th- They told me to f- fend for myself, that I c- couldn't be with them."

I stood there for a minute, thinking over my options. 'If I just left, she would likely be able to survive just fine, she _is_ a Faunus after all.' I thought. 'Wait, she's a Faunus who is _not_ in the White Fang… What if she's the only one? If I make a show of befriending her, perhaps they would finally leave me be.' I paused my train of thought, humming.

'I could ask my team to let her stay with us, and if they say no, then it is out of my hands.' I turned back towards Selini. "Since your team abandoned you, would you like to stay with mine for the time being?" I asked, struggling, and somehow succeeding, to keep the ire from my voice. "Of course, they may refuse." I said, shrugging.

She shifted nervously. "I- I suppose so, Kyria Schnee."

"Why do you keep calling me 'Kyria'? What does it mean?"

"I- It means 'Lady', y- you said you didn't want to be ad- addressed as 'ma'am'."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "I wanted you to drop the formalities. Please call me by my first name: Weiss."

"V- Very well, Kyr- err- Weiss."

I picked up the fallen branches I was carrying. "Good, now follow me."

The next fifteen minutes were spent in silence. Eventually, we came to where Ruby was digging her hole. She noticed immediately. "Heh, make a friend, Ice Queen?" My partner remarked as I set down the sticks I had collected. In the periphery of my vision, I noticed that Selini was immensely surprised to hear a female voice emanate from my partner's armor.

"Hmph." I crossed my arms. "If you must know, her team abandoned her and she was alone in the woods."

"Yeah, you were too." She commented. "Doesn't mean you have to go kidnapping people…"

"Wha- She came willingly!" She looked at me for a moment… …before bursting out laughing… I hid my face in embarrassment. "I'll admit, that wasn't the best phrasing I could have used…"

After several seconds, I removed my face from my hands. Ruby had recovered at this point and took off her helmet, extending a hand to the Wolf Faunus. "Ruby Rose, leader of Team RWBY."

She shyly took her hand. "S- Selini Lykos… Team MRLT (Merlot)."

"Nice to meet cha. I'm fine with you staying, we'll have extra room in our shelter anyways. But I'll have to ask the rest of my squa- err- _team._ " She turned to me. "Alright, so I see you've got the firewood. Where's the building materials?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Right there." I motioned to the sticks that I had set on the ground.

Ruby sighed. "Weiss… those are twigs… They won't support any weight whatsoever."

"Seeing as this is the only experience I have with trying to build a shelter, I had no idea what to look for. Care to enlighten me?" I said, a slight amount of venom in my voice.

She popped her helmet on. "Sure, follow me, Ice Queen." I rolled my eyes as she approached a tree. "Alright, so generally, just look for something that looks sturdy. Kinda like-" She punched a low-hanging branch, severing it from the main tree. "-that one." She heaved it up over her shoulder.

"D- Does she u- usually do this?"

"No, but she isn't the most…" She set the branch down and started stripping it of all its resources, arranging them in neat piles. "…normal of people…" I remarked.

She turned towards us and clapped her hands together. "Alright, let's get to work ladies!"

I sighed and approached, awaiting instruction.

* * *

"See? That wasn't too hard." My leader remarked.

I eyed our shelter curiously. It was a simple design, though that was a given, due to time and material constraints. The roof was the only thing that had actually been built, given that it sat atop a hole roughly seven feet square and four feet deep. "I suppose so…" I raised my eyebrow. "I was only gone for forty-five minutes at best; how did you manage to excavate this so quickly?"

She shrugged. "The ground here is kinda soft, and I'm used to digging foxholes, though this is a pretty big one." She said. "Also, doesn't hurt that I'm a Spartan."

I pinched my nose. "Again, why am I surprised?"

"Heh, I don't know." She shrugged. "But it looks like our friends are back."

I eyed her curiously before our two remaining teammates emerged into our little clearing. Blake held a long stick on her shoulder that adorned several fish and Yang cradled her sweatshirt in her arms, revealing a yellow tank top. The former's eyes settled on the newest addition to our group. "And who might this be?"

Selini made eye contact with her and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm Selini Lykos, syngentis."

Blake raised an eyebrow before extending a hand to the wolf Faunus. "Blake Belladonna." They shook and the noirette gestured to her partner. "That's Yang."

"Hey." The blonde gave Selini a sheepish smile. "I'd uhh… I'd shake your hand, buuuut I'm kinda carrying a few pounds of berries to go with our supper… Hehe…"

She shifted nervously. "I- It's okay, Kyria Yang."

I rolled my eyes and, at Yang's confused expression, elaborated. "She said 'Kyria' is an honorific, meaning she's being formal."

"O- Oh, you don't have to do that, Selini. Just Yang's fine."

"Yeah, same here. Call me Ruby." My partner replied with a shrug before walking over and giving me a playful punch to the shoulder. "Or just Oaf. The Ice Queen over here seems to like it."

I rubbed my shoulder and rolled my eyes. "Only because you act so… _Oafish_ , Ruby."

"Heh, I've heard worse." She smirked. "Anyways, anyone hun-" She was interrupted by a loud growl coming from Blake's stomach. "I'll take that as a yes. Do ya know how to clean 'em?" Ruby motioned to the fish on her back and she nodded. "Alright, you need a knife?"

She shook her head. "No, I always carry one on me for emergencies."

Ruby gave her a smile of approval. "Good, now, why don't you and Yang clean the fish while we get to work on the fire."

"Uhh, what should I do about the berries?"

"How sure are you that they're edible?"

She gave a sheepish grin. "Umm… about… fifty percent? Hehe…"

Both me and my partner facepalmed. "Ugh. Yang, I swear you and your sister will be the death of me one day…"

The person in question dumped the, probably toxic, berries into the woods. "Hehe… sorry?"

I sighed. "Just get to preparing our fish. I am quite famished," A smirk crawled its way onto my face. "along with Blake, apparently." Blake glared at me before both she and her partner disappeared deeper into the woods. I turned to my partner. "So, what is the first step?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you paying attention? Professor Peach went over this during the first day of class."

"I… may have been slightly distracted that day…" I admitted.

"Heh, alright. Just pay attention now." She turned to the third member of our group. "How about you, Selini? Do ya know how to make a fire?"

She shifted nervously. "Y- Yes, Kyr- err Ruby."

My partner raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" She elaborated at Selini's confused expression. "You've acted nervous around everyone except Blake. We aren't going to hurt you."

"W- Well, we're just Faunus. W- We're meant to s- serve you."

I blinked shortly before my eyes narrowed into slits. " _What_ did you say?"

"W- We're meant to-"

"No, you stupid mutt! I meant before that!"

Her tail stopped lazily swaying from side to side and settled between her legs. "W- We're just Faunus."

"'We', as in _Blake_ too?" She meekly nodded.

Suddenly, my partner stepped between us. " _Weiss_ …" She warned.

"I don't care Ruby! She could be a member of the White Fang! She could have been sent to kill me!"

"If she was sent to kill you, don't you think she'd've done it already? We've been a team for over a month!"

I stormed off. "I don't care! I want the truth!" I stormed through the bushes and came across our team's little cleaning station… …only to find a very confused Yang… _without Blake_. "Where is she?!" I growled out.

"I- I don't know! She just ran off!"

"Which way?" Yang silently pointed, and I started after her… …only for my partner to grab my arm. "Let go! I need answers!"

"No." She grabbed my shoulders and forced me to look into her eyes. "You've already drawn your conclusions. In your mind, she's a White Fang deep cover agent sent specifically to kill you… And that couldn't be further from the truth."

"The innocent never run, Ruby! She's hiding something!"

"So, you're saying that there's never been an innocent man sent to die? Never been a witch trial? How's about a framing?"

"Well, of course I'm not saying that!"

"Weiss. She's _scared_ right now. And rightfully so… because of _you_." I blinked. " _You_ need to calm down. She won't get far, tomorrow _I'll_ track her down. _Alone_." She paused before starting to drag me back to our shelter.

"Hey! What are you doing, you Oaf!"

"You have someone to apologize to."

"What are you talking about?! Unhand-" We arrived back at camp… and a certain Wolf Faunus, that I had completely forgotten about, stood before us. "…me…" Selini still had her tail between her legs and a depressed look on her face. Suddenly it hit me. 'I called her a mutt.' I realized. 'I should probably apologize, if only to save face, and in hindsight, I probably shouldn't've use _that_ particular slur, seeing as she's a Canine Faunus.'

I sighed before stepping forward, putting on my apologizing face."Selini?" The girl in question turned her attention to me. "I… would like to apologize." Her head tilted in confusion. "I was angry… and I said some things I shouldn't have…" I sighed again. "I know how offensive that word can be, especially to your people… and I sincerely apologize…" I said, taking a small bow. I internally groaned at my own actions, but knew they were necessary.

When I looked up, Selini had a surprised look on her face. I was just about to say something, what, I didn't know, before she engulfed me in a bone-crushing hug. "It's okay!" I squirmed in her embrace, gasping for air.

She released me, and I blinked. "…Just like that?" I asked, confusion evident in my voice.

She backed away a step before she started to fidget. "Y- Yeah. You're the first human to g- give me a meaningful apology." She said, as her tail once again began to lazily wave back and forth.

Ruby approached us and gave a warm smile. "See? That wasn't too difficult now was it, Ice Queen?" I let out a huff of indignation. "Anyways, I think you two should take first watch tonight. Get to know each other, ya know?" I opened my mouth to object… only to be cut off as she clasped her hands. "Now, we have a fire to build. Let's get to it!"

I sighed, knowing that this was an argument I could not win.

* * *

Night had fallen an hour or so ago and I sat next to my partner for the evening. We had sat in silence up until now, the occasional flicker of movement catching Selini's attention, though to me it was nearly impossible to see beyond a few feet.

I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly as I decided to ask a burning question I've had for years now. "So… just what _can_ you see?"

She turned towards me. "W- Well… Almost everything." I raised an eyebrow. "I- Imagine the world when its daytime. Then d- darken it a bit and make everything black and w- white. Th- That's what a Faunus sees at night."

I hummed. "That is quite interesting. Also, is it like aura? As in, can you turn it on and off at will?"

She shook her head. "N- No, It just happens."

"I suppose that makes sense." I said, allowing the conversation to lull.

I was still uncomfortable talking to her, but if my plan were to succeed, I would need to get over it.

After a few moments, she asked her own question. "W- What does a human see at night?"

"Well… almost nothing to be honest. Without the fire or the moon, I'd scarcely be able to see the hand in front of my face. In these conditions, I can see the vague outlines of some nearby trees. Otherwise, the world around me is pure darkness for all I know." I paused, deciding to change the subject. "I know you're from Southern Mistral, but where _exactly_ are you from?"

"W- Well, my chorio was in the mountains of Tykonae."

"The peninsula directly south of Mistral proper?"

She nodded. "Y- Yeah…" She paused. "How about you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You haven't heard of me?"

"N- No…" She responded, before starting to fidget. "I- I remember you said you were an he- heiress, a- are you a noble?"

I groaned. "No. And please don't address me as one… I already get enough of that from Ruby. Anyways, I hail from Atlas. The Schnees have lived there for generations, every one of them had a profound impact on the Kingdom proper."

"Atlas? Th- The snow kingdom, right?"

"Yes, I suppose it could be called that." I remarked before I realized something else she said. I was half-tempted to ignore it, but curiosity got the better of me. "Hang on a minute, you said your… choria?"

"Chorio." She corrected.

" _Was_ in the mountains. Did something happen to it?"

Her head drooped. "Y- Yes…" She sighed. "The daimones… Th- There w- were just so m- many…" I gave her a strange look… …shortly before she abruptly turned and hugged me. "…I… I couldn't save anyone…" She let out a whimper. "I'm all that's l- left…"

I hesitantly returned the hug, her tail tickling my fingers. "At least you made it." I said, attempting to comfort her. She eventually retracted from the embrace. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you get here? Beacon is a long journey from Central Anima."

"A- After… three days I think, a Cheiristios found me. H- He said his niece was going to Beacon this… this…" She trailed off.

"Semester?" I supplied.

"Y- Yes, that. He saw me slay four lesser daimones. H- He said I could go here if I- I wanted… I said yes."

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously, you wouldn't be here otherwise."

"Y- Yes, I suppose so." She paused for a moment. "W- What about you? The Snow Kingdom is very far from here."

"That's… a long story." I sighed. "Let's just say that if I attended Atlas academy, things would be… less than ideal…"

Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind us. I turned to face them and saw my leader. "Heh, who'd'a thought? A Schnee and a Faunus having an amiable conversation." She remarked before leaning against a tree.

"Hmph." I crossed my arms. "I take offense to that."

"Heh, take offense all ya want, Ice Queen. I'm not the one who assumed her friend was in the White Fang the second I found out she was a Faunus."

I opened my mouth to retort, but nothing came out.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." She sighed. "Weiss, you know how I feel about racists. You have to stop just assuming every Faunus is with them. I mean, sure, don't expect a warm welcome from 'em because of your father, but you can't keep treating them like you have been."

"And why not? Most of them would rather kill me on sight if they had the chance! The White Fang have been hunting members of my family for years now, who's to say that, tomorrow, I won't be in some cage; held like some animal waiting their death!"

She sighed. "Weiss, you have to realize something…"

I crossed my arms. "And what, exactly, would that be?"

"The Faunus _are_ human."

I blinked. "No, they're not. If anything, they're human/animal hybrids."

"While they may have animal _features_ , they are still capable of everything we can do. Whether you want to admit it or not, I'm right." She glared at me. "And _when_ the team gets back together, I'll tell you exactly what kind of atrocities _that_ line of thinking will bring. But the point is that they can't be lumped into one neat little category." She motioned to the shelter. "Anyways, you guy's shift is up. Can ya send out Yang? She's up with me."

I nodded, absentmindedly wondering what she meant by her statement, before opening the door to the crude shelter.

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna /-\

* * *

I screamed myself awake, almost falling from my sleeping place on a branch. I quickly grabbed the tree, clutching it for dear life before looking around, confirming the fact that it was just a dream. Suddenly, yesterday's memories came flooding back to me.

My eyes trailed to the ground. 'Why did I think I could hide forever?' I thought to myself. 'One of them even found out everything!' I sighed. '…She was even willing to accept me…'

"Finally up, Kitty Cat?" I heard, causing me to jump…

…and promptly fall to the ground with a dull thud. "Heh, didn't mean ta scare ya."

"R- Ruby?!" I shouted from my sitting position. "What're you doing here?! How did you find me?!"

She sat down next to me and removed her helmet. "Well, you're certainly not the _best_ at covering your tracks… As for the 'why', I'm gonna bring you back."

I paled. "W- What?! No, I- I can't! They'll just throw me in jail!"

"Relax, they don't know about your past. All they know is that you're a Faunus."

"B- But Weiss-"

"Is willing to hear you out." At my surprised expression, she elaborated. "I had a nice little chat with her yesterday, and another one during PT this morning. She'll give you a chance, but we're having a bunker meeting as soon as we get back to Beacon."

"What about Yang?"

"Heh, she really doesn't care what you are. Sure, she's a bit mad that you didn't tell us, but she'll come around."

I looked away and felt my Faunus ears flatten against my head. "What about when they find out I was with the White Fang…?"

She sighed. "To be honest, that's probably not gonna go over very well with either of them. Yang might keep her distance for a few days, but I have a feeling she'll move past it pretty quickly all things considered. Though you'll _definitely_ be on thin ice with Weiss… heh, no pun intended."

I thought about it for a moment. "…What if I'm not ready to come back yet?" I looked back up at her.

She hummed for a moment before giving me a smirk. "Well… maybe I _didn't_ find you before I had to get back to my team." I raised an eyebrow. " _Maybe_ I had to come back tomorrow, and only _then_ did I find you."

I paused for a moment before realizing what she was suggesting. "Yeah… I think that would be best…"

She gave me a smirk before popping her helmet back on. "Alright, just come back here tomorrow. I'll be around to grab you at about dawn or so."

I nodded. "Alright, see you then, Ruby." She stood up and disappeared into the forest. I sighed. "Now what do I d-" My stomach growled, and I rolled my eyes. "Guess that answers that question…" I deadpanned.

* * *

I had been looking for a stream with which to fish from for the past half-hour to no avail. I decided that now would be a good time to take a quick break. After all, what good is a walk through the forest if you don't appreciate it?

I found a fallen, yet still solid, tree, and decided that this would be where I rested for the time being. I sat there for several minutes, enjoying the silence, before the sounds of nature resumed. A pair of birds were bickering on the branch of a nearby tree, their songs being quite relaxing to me. A wooden scraping sound emanated from another one of the red trees. Turning to face it, I saw a red squirrel scurrying up its bark. In the distance, I could hear a pair of voices eagerly- 'Wait, voices?!' My eyes widened, and I dove to the side of the log, hiding myself.

Right now, voices were just barely grazing the hearing distance of my Faunus ears. "-n't know, man… What's Adam thinking? Working with a _H_ _uman_ of all things?"

My eyes widened, they were not just people on a stroll… They were White Fang grunts, likely on patrol. In all my haste to run from my team, I'd inadvertently run _directly_ towards their camp in Forever Fall.

"Oh, come on, you make it seem like _every_ Human is terrible."

"Of course _you_ would think that, ya friggin' mutt. Just because your mother wasn't racist doesn't mean that every other Human out there isn't."

"Hey! Leave her out of this!" There was a pause. "And besides, with the Blazing Suns gettin' hammered, we _need_ to work with that Human."

He grumbled. "Doesn't mean we have to like it though… The fucker threw a leash at me yesterday!"

"Yeah, the _second_ that Adam gives the word… I'll kill him myself."

A few more seconds of pointless banter later, and they were out of my hearing range. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that they hadn't spotted me. I quickly, and stealthily, rose to my feet and headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

My eyes lazily fluttered open at the sound of a woodpecker hammering away at the tree I was sat in. My eyes trailed over towards the tiny and tasty-looking avian, my instincts screaming at me to catch it. A smirk crossed my face as I obeyed, my cat-like agility allowing me to easily snatch the bird. I quickly snapped its neck before starting a fire and cooking it.

Several minutes later, I sat at the base of the tree, a satisfied smile on my face. I let out a content sigh before curling up on the ground next to the fire I had built. I stayed there for several minutes, soaking up the heat, before I heard the familiar armored footfalls of my leader approaching my little camp.

I heard her stifle a laugh before sitting opposite me and popping off her helmet. "Sleep well?"

"Not really…" I sighed. "I have some news about the White Fang… but its best if I tell everyone at once."

She nodded. "Alright, ya ready to head out?"

I stood up and kicked some dirt on the fire, extinguishing it. "…I guess so…" I sighed. "I hope you're right about them…"

She popped her helmet back on and put a hand on my shoulder. "You'll do fine, Blake."

I looked away. "…Its not me that I'm worried about…" I sighed. "Did anything happen while I was gone?"

She motioned for me to follow her. "Heh, Nora stole Ren's weapon and cut down a tree."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why would she do that?"

"Because she wanted to drink all its sap. Only ended up drenching herself in the stuff… along with attracting one _big_ Ursa. Heh, everyone's fine though."

"That's good to hear." I remarked.

The rest of the trip was spent in amiable silence, and soon enough, we were just outside the camp. Weiss was sitting on a fallen tree filing her nails while Yang and Selini sat opposite each other on the ground. I hesitated for a moment before feeling a hand place itself on my shoulder. I looked back and saw the smiling face of my leader, her helmet tucked under her other arm. "I'll be right behind you."

I took a deep breath and nodded before heading out into the clearing. Weiss immediately noticed me and put away her file before marching towards me. Her eyes narrowed into slits as she got closer. "Are you a Faunus?" She said in a commanding tone.

"Yes, I am."

She leaned back and crossed her arms. "What's your trait?"

I blinked before looking around to make sure that we were the only ones here. When I saw we were, I reached up and undid my bow, revealing my set of- "Cat ears." I said, twitching them.

"Were you sent to kill me?"

"No, I didn't even know you were coming to Beacon before I saw you on the airship."

She studied me for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Okay." She paused. "I was told to not bring up the subject of the White Fang yet, so I won't." She thrust a finger in my face. "But if I find out you're lying to me, I will _not_ hesitate to kill you myself."

I gave her a nod before re-tying my bow. "Understood."

"Good." She turned away from me. "Now, I believe we need to break camp. We are to meet with Professor Goodwitch in an hour."

We all set to work, though very few words were said.

* * *

Ruby descended the ladder to our bunker, and I shifted nervously at her partner's unnerving gaze. After we had gotten back, Team MR_T had taken Selini back with them, meaning it was just Team RWBY within our bunker. "May I ask now?" Weiss asked our leader, to which she nodded. "Blake Belladonna, are you a member of the White Fang?"

"…Not anymore…"

Both Weiss and Yang recoiled in shock, though the latter was the first to recover. "Not anymore? What do you mean?"

I looked at Ruby, silently asking if I should tell the truth. She nodded, and I elaborated. "…We were robbing a Schnee Company trai-"

"That was _you_?!" Weiss interrupted.

"WEISS!" Our leader shouted. "Let her finish."

She grumbled. "Fine. Continue."

"Okay… Well, on the train, my partner started priming explosives. I asked him about the crew and he just… he just dismissed me as if they were worth _nothing._ " I paused. "So I let him fight a spider-like security bot before I severed his car from the rest of the train." I sighed. "That kind of outlook was nothing new for him. Humans would constantly die on missions he led. 'They got in the way', 'They were resisting', 'It was an accident', all excuses… I guess that was just the mission that I realized the charming young beggar I met on the streets of Mistral was dead…" My fists clenched. "and a _monster_ was parading around in his skin."

I looked to my team. Ruby was completely impassive, seeing as how she was _scarily_ good at acquiring information, this was probably nothing new for her. Yang was shocked, she was probably still reeling from the revelation that I was once a freedom figh- no, _terrorist._ Weiss though, she looked conflicted. She pinched her nose. "I suppose I should thank you…" She sighed. "…For saving the innocent lives of the Schnee Company employees on that train… And also, quite possibly, my own…"

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I was on that train." My eyes widened. "If you had made it to the next car, you would have seen five Schnee Company security guards, along with myself, protecting approximately twenty passengers. Once the dust car decoupled, we just assumed that you were after the dust we were carrying."

I blinked. "Well… It's probably a good thing you didn't come out… If Adam had known a Sch-"

"ADAM?!" The heiress suddenly yelled. "As in Adam Taurus?!"

"…Yeah… _That_ Adam…"

She threw her hands up and sat down on a crate. "I can't believe this…" She put her head into her hands… …before she began to darkly chuckle. "Great… that's juuuust greeeeeeaaaaatttt… And just to top it off, you're gonna tell me that you two were lovers…" She said sarcastically.

My face reddened. "…Umm… I… Uhh…"

"Oh, for the gods' sake, Blake…" She sighed. "Continue, I don't think this can get any more maddening than it is already…"

"Umm, well… Do you know who the chieftain of Menagerie is?" I asked, awkwardly rubbing the back of my head.

"Ghira Bellado- …Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me…" She sighed. "Is there anything else? At this point, I just wanna go to bed and forget this field trip ever happened."

"Well… when I ran away, I may have run into a White Fang patrol while I was out…"

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Is this what you wanted to tell us?"

"Yeah… Something is happening. They were complaining about having to work with a human, and a racist one at that."

"That doesn't make any sense." Ruby stated. "Their stated goal is to destroy racism, working with a racist seems…"

"Counterproductive?" I huffed. "You could say that again. Adam would rather cut off his own horns before he'd even _consider_ working with a Human. And since he's the head of the Vale branch…"

"…It means something's goin' on…" Ruby finished. "Would Sienna Khan do this? She's the only one higher on the rungs than he is."

I shook my head. "No. Despite Adam being much more radical in his methods than Sienna, she shares his hatred for Humans."

" _Someone's_ pulling the strings here…" She sighed. "Well, it looks like I'll be doing a bit of… _extracurricular activity_ for a while…"

"So, what do we do then?" I asked.

"Well, we're gonna act like we don't have any interest whatsoever in the 'Fang." She paused. "I'm gonna spy on 'em, and when they wanna pull a big op, we'll go in and take 'em down." She sighed. "But for now, you all can take the day off. Its been a busy weekend… and I have a feeling it'll be a very busy semester."

* * *

(A/N) Bet you guys didn't think Blake would get revealed so soon… To be honest, I didn't either. It kinda just came to me when I was introducing Selini to Blake and Yang. Oh, that reminds me, here's what the Greek words she says actually mean:

(In order of appearance) Kyria – Lady; Fylakas – Guardian; Douleia – Job/Duty; Daimones – Demons; Syngentis – Relative/Cousin; Chorio – Village; Tykonae isn't a word or (to my knowledge) place; Cheiristios is a masculine spin on the word 'Cheiristis', which is a gender-neutral term meaning Wielder. In context, it means 'Huntsman'. If the huntsman was female, I would have chosen 'Cheiristia' instead… Then again, I'm not fluent in Greek, so if I fucked up the male/female translation, just let me know.

Also, I'm just gonna say it. The huntsman that rescued Selini was Qrow.

Lastly, while writing this I realized something: What derogatory names do Faunus call Humans? Like, the other way around is easy, animal, mutt, ape, etc. But all I could think of was 'Vannie' (referring to someone being 'vanilla', or plain and boring) though that's a _really_ weak insult. Also, Stiff comes to mind, especially from a feline faunus whose extra flexible.

Anyways, that's all I had for this… On to the reviews!

psp reader – Yea, Weiss's racism will eventually be non-existent… as it should be. Interestingly enough, while re-watching RWBY in preparation for V6, I realized something: Cannon Weiss was never a racist. She was just parroting her father's opinions… which she promptly dropped the _second_ she realized how wrong and stupid they were… With Jaune, probably not. He's only sticking around with the training until he can beat Cardin, and Ruby won't be showing him The Fall of Reach anytime soon.

John Forge – Yea, I saw that version too. There seems to be several floating around the internet and I can see both being used tbh.

Shadow Walker of Fire – Thanks! I'm good on the OC department, though. Mando Ruby would be pretty interesting, though I don't know anywhere _near_ enough to do that concept justice.

Spartastic 4 – Actually, in cannon (according to V3C1 10:47, unless it's been retconned somewhere) the Vytal Festival is an annual affair. I just saw one person make it a Semi-annual one and I liked the idea… also, with how I'm doing the timeline (yea, the cannon one is a hot mess) it made more sense to do it this way. And I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Guest 01 – Yea, he's being a prick. Though he also knows _exactly_ what he's doing… You don't live for potentially thousands of years and _not_ know how to treat people nicely.

SenorGorilla – Actually, I just said her height, I didn't specify whether or not it was in armor. So, I'll just say I now: She's 6'4" _without_ armor. So, I guess that puts her an inch or two short of being a full foot taller than Yang when she's in armor.

osterreicher97 – Thanks! And yea, I tried to make it a point that, while _insanely_ good at what she does, Ruby is _not_ an ungodly force of destruction. In fact, I'd put her at around Cinder's power level at this point in the show… so half-maiden. Whether she's slightly stronger or slightly weaker, I haven't decided yet.

A fan – Actually, I said in an earlier chapter (the one where Yang and Ruby go for a run… so ch3 I think?) that there's something weird going on with how time flows… given that Ruby should be 15 when she's actually 22, the same age as Kat. Hence Yang's comment in ch5 about being her "Older/Younger Sister" (Still don't know which one she is). But to be a Spartan II, Ruby would need to be almost double her current age. Also, I don't know if the minimum age for Spartan II/III candidacy was ever published, but it was probably around 4-6 years old… same with the maximum age. Spartan IV's, however, would probably have a minimum age of 18… though it'd be nearly impossible to become one that young.

red october700 – I answered the question of what she looks like in an earlier review response, though its not a big deal if you didn't read it. I'll just copy/paste the looks here, actually, its from ch5… that's quite a while ago all things considered.

So far its been stated that she wears a Recon helmet, I'm not sure if i mentioned her silver visor or HUL module, but those are also present. It's been implied that she wears the tactical recon chest from Halo: Reach (All of her armor is from there). Her shoulders are both Recon, on one leg she wears a medkit and on the other is a tactical soft case. She has the FJ/Para knees. On right wrist sits a tacpad whereas her left has a modified version of the assault/breacher, where instead of shotgun shells, it holds 60 round MA5B magazines (She really likes that gun). Her color scheme kinda breaks from the way Reach handles its versions, with the whole thing being red and a black stripe running down the back of both her arms and legs with her back being solid black.

So yea, hopefully that paints a good enough picture for ya, though you were quite close with your guess. As for the suggestion… if I ever get around to writing an Omake, I think I just found an idea or two…

* * *

Omake - Canon

Snow White and the Lunar Wolf

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\

Team RWBY dorm; three days later

* * *

I was studying, as usual, after we had gotten back from class. Ruby had taken her sister out to spar, as she'd done every few days since the semester started. Blake had run off somewhere, likely to the library, but none of us _really_ knew where our resident Cat Faunus went when she wanted to be alone. Things were still a little rocky between us, but we were back on speaking terms, at least.

Just as I moved onto the forty-fifth question of Doctor Oobleck's extra credit compendium, I heard a hesitant knock at the door.

I raised an eyebrow, mentally going through who it could possibly be, though that list was narrowed down quite quickly. I scowled when I realized it was probably _Arc_ on the other side of that door.

As I opened it, I was extremely surprised to see _Selini_ of all people. I blinked. "Can I help you?" I asked.

She nervously shifted under my gaze. "U- Umm… Y- Yes?"

"…Oh-kay…" I said slowly, trying to remain civil with my new 'friend'. "What, exactly, do you need?"

"P- People say you're sm- smart."

I sighed. "Look, I know I'm ranked number one in the entire year, but I will _not_ allow you to copy my assignments." I sternly said as I moved to shut the door.

"W- Wait!" She shouted, but I ignored her and slammed the door…

…only for it to rebound off her foot.

She winced, but persisted nonetheless. "I- I can't copy you."

I blinked. "You should rephrase that." I said, thinking for a moment that she, as a non-native speaker of Valerian, made a simple error.

"N- No." She stuttered. "I- I can't- I'm not-" She paused. "Αγράμματος!" She said finally. "I- I don't know t- the word."

I gave her a deadpan look. "One moment…" I said, retrieving my scroll and opening the translator app. "Say the word again."

"A- Αγράμματος…"

My scroll dinged. "Recognized: Agrammatos. Language: Tykon. Translations: Illiterate, uneducated, ignorant, unlettered."

I stared at the screen for several moments, completely disbelieving, before turning back to Selini, who was looking at her feet in shame. "You can't read…"

"N- No…"

"And you came to me for help."

"Y- Yes…"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why not your team? Or the headmaster?"

"O- Ozpin said m- my team should help me." She said. "Th- they don't. Just give me s- some p- paper and tell me to w- write…"

I gave her request some thought. "Meet me every Saturday in the library at nine-o-clock sharp. Bring a pencil and a notebook."

She perked up, her tail beginning to rapidly wag behind her. "T- Thank you!" She shouted. "I- I won't be late!" She yelled before taking off.

I crossed my arms. "You better not be…" I trailed off, shutting the door.

* * *

Nearly two months later

* * *

I paged through the book in front of me, searching for the story I'd have Selini read when she arrived. She had made much progress since we started; going from literally not knowing even any _letters_ , to being able to read children's books on her own.

While her spoken vocabulary was… _workable_ , she still had much difficulty with larger words. Today I would be giving her a test of sorts. I'd picked out a story I thought she'd like, given that it was written by the descendants of her people.

Right on time, she sat down, her eyes lingering on my book. "H- Hi." She said.

"Hello, Selini." I reciprocated. "Have you been practicing?"

She enthusiastically nodded. "Y- yes. I got through t- that book you gave me." She frowned. "Th- that is not ano- another kid's book, is i- it?"

I shook my head. "No, I think you should be able to read this now." I said, sliding the book over to her. "It's a book of Tykon legends, though the one I'll have you read today is from Thessikon bay; to the north of Vale." I paused. "I expect you won't know a word here or there, but you should try sounding it out. And if you still don't know, ask me."

She gave a shaky nod and began reading aloud. She would struggle with the occasional word, but she was still making progress.

The story itself takes place long ago, but, being a transcription of oral history, the specific date had been lost; only that it was 'many generations before the world burned', referencing the Great War.

It follows a young would-be warrior partaking in a coming of age ritual gone awry. He was supposed to 'climb the ashen mountain and slay the beast within its maw', but when he was on his last legs in the fight, the gods supposedly intervened, striking down what was probably an Elder Griffon with 'bows that shot arrows made of water'.

Two figures, which the story claims are the aforementioned gods, approach him and speak in a 'foreign and incomprehensible tongue'. Both are described as slender beings wearing helmets with large glass faceplates, a strange purple and black cloth covering them from head to toe, strange forked feet, and only having three fingers on each hand.

I internally chuckled at the description. It was probably just some strangely dressed people from another village.

The main character returns to his village battered and beaten, but victorious. The boy, now technically a man, goes through weeks of praise, the others not knowing of the 'divine intervention' he benefited from.

Eventually, it gets to be too much for him to bear and he comes clean. Some called for his banishment, others, for another trial. The Shaman, instead, calls him a hero, as the 'gods' themselves judged him worthy. He then lives out the rest of his days as a warrior, protecting his village 'till his final breath'.

I gave a slight smile as she finished the story, she was progressing faster than I thought she would.

She looked up to me, a nervous look in her eyes. "D- Did I do good?"

"Well." I corrected. "And yes, you did." She sighed in relief. "I expected to help you with at least fifty words, but you only needed it for a dozen." Suddenly, my scroll chimed. I glanced down at it for a moment. "Ah, it seems our time is up for today." I hummed. "Seeing as you're ahead of where you should be, you should use _that_ book to study from over break."

"O- Okay." She said. "Th- Thanks for doing thi- this on a Friday instead o- of Saturday like n- normal."

I shrugged. "It worked into my schedule." I said, packing my things. "Now if you'll excuse me, my team and I have an outing to Vale planned." I said before leaving the Wolf Faunus to do whatever she usually does.

As I walked to our meeting point, I idly noted how ironic it was that I, the Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, was getting along with a _Faunus_ of all people. 'Two, actually…' I mentally corrected when I spied a familiar bow-wearing Cat Faunus in the distance.

Just as I remembered my friends, the image of a newly-tailless Wolf Faunus wormed its way into my mind. I remembered how I left him for _dead_ a scant few months ago simply because of _what_ he was.

Needless to say, I felt enormously guilty.

As I neared my teammates, I buried my thoughts and put on my carefully maintained expression of neutrality. A Schnee never shows weakness, after all…

* * *

And that's all for today! Chapter Ten 'Defanged' is next up! Also, the next chapter of 'The Fall of Reach' will be up sometime tomorrow. Its about half done right now, though It doesn't take very long to write one of those chapters, considering I'm basically playing Reach and writing down either what I do or what I think would be cool… then going in and filling out _WBY's reaction to said actions.


	10. Defanged

Chapter Ten – Defanged

* * *

I strode up to my destination and faintly heard dance music emanating from the structure. According to rumors, 'The Three Bears' dance club was only a front for a criminal organization… …as well as a valuable source of both information and, potentially, employees. As I approached the entrance, I inwardly laughed when I saw the doorman hunched over in his chair, sleeping.

I flicked him in the forehead. "Hey dingus, wake up." I commanded.

He jolted awake with a snort. "Wha-? Hey! Who are you?!"

I smirked under my mask. "Call me Sierra." I crossed my arms. "Now, I have business in the club, would ya be _gentleman_ and open the door for me? Or do I have to bust it down _myself_?"

He gulped and opened his scroll. "Yea, Junior? There's this freakishly muscular chick out here callin' herself 'Sierra', she's not on the _list_." He paused while waiting for a response. "All black, cyan eyes, got a fedora for some reason." He paused again. "Okay boss." He hung up and turned to me. "Boss says you can come in, but don't cause any trouble."

"Heh, no promises, henchie." I said as he opened the door for me and I went through. I waded through the crowd towards the bar where the owner was working. I sat down. "How's about nice cold one?" I said, giving the coded phrase that I was looking to hire someone for something shady. "No ice." Not a hitman.

He nodded. "I think we've got somethin' in the back, _red_."

We both walked away. He disappeared behind an 'employees only' door and I headed towards a door with a red light above it. Walking through, I saw a waiting henchman who nodded at me and started to lead me to another room. I entered what appeared to be a conference room, though I was alone for the time being. My escort left and told me that Junior would be here shortly.

Roughly two minutes later, the man in question entered the room and sat down opposite me. "So, what're you lookin' for?"

"Someone with very good infiltration skills, needs to have an unlocked aura though I'm not picky when it comes to actual fighting skills. Also, they need to be a faunus."

"That's very specific, what did you have in mind?"

"Heh, wouldn't you like to know?"

His face hardened. "Actually, I would. Seeing as skilled men are hard to come by these days, I can't _just_ be sending them out on suicide missions."

I relented. "Very well, I'm looking for someone to infiltrate the White Fang." He opened his mouth to object, but I cut him off. "Your guy won't be doing any of the actual fighting, all I need is information. Me and my… _associates_ will handle the rest."

He paused for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I have a person in mind… but her services do not come cheap."

I took out a few hundred-Lien cards. "Oh, trust me, cost is _not_ an issue here."

His eyes widened before a small smirk tugged at his lips. "Wait here. I'll go get her."

I nodded and laid back in my chair as he left. A few minutes later, he returned with a- "YOU?!" The newly-revealed doe-tailed faunus shouted.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do I know you? You seem familiar somehow." I said, still relaxed in my chair.

Junior seemed confused. "Do you know her, Cel?"

"Know her?! She's the leader of the Suncrushers!"

I snapped my fingers. "Oh yea! Now I remember! You were that doe faunus in the warehouse we hit last month."

Junior blinked. "Wait, _you're_ the leader of the Suncrushers?"

I nodded. "Yep," I said popping the 'P'. "that's the name the public's given us."

His face broke into a wide smile. "Well why didn't cha say so? I had Cel here tryin' to take 'em down when you showed up. Blazing Sun's been cuttin' into my profits for years now and suddenly you guys come in and wreck 'em!" He laughed heartily. "How's about we make a deal: You keep doin' what you're doin', and I'll pay for half of her services."

I blinked for a moment before grinning madly and extending my hand. "Junior my friend, I think you've got yourself a deal." We shook, and I turned to my new employee before handing her an envelope I had tucked away in my clothes. "Alright, Cel was it?" She nodded. "You can call me Sierra from now on, the details of your assignment are enclosed in that envelope as well as reporting procedures." I stood up, motioning to leave. "Plus your first payment, of course." I giggled. "We'll be in touch."

* * *

"-ther news, the Suncrushers strike again! This time raiding two hideouts simultaneously, one in the Diamond Hills district and another in a relatively secluded part of the Willow Creek district. Authorities received their usual anonymous tips at 9:42pm and 9:47pm respectively. No casualties were reported during either incident. Public opinion on the officially-unnamed group varies from person to person, though most agree that The Kingdom is a safer place with the Blazing Sun's influence being drastically reduced. Now to Perry with the weathe-"

I shut off the TV after hearing what I wanted to. "Heh, its always fun seeing their reactions." I said to my partner.

My partner looked up from inventorying her newly-acquired dust. "I don't disagree with you in that regard." She strode over to the couch and plopped down. "While I still detest this shack, I have to admit it is… _homey_ , I guess would be the correct term."

"Told ya you'd warm up to it eventually. Heh, no pun intended, Ice Queen."

She rolled her eyes before changing the subject. "How did the meeting with Junior go?"

"Pretty well, all things considered." I said, taking out my colored contacts. "But we'll go over the details when Team Bumblebee gets back."

She pinched her nose. "I still don't understand why Yang insisted on these team names… Or why you agreed to them."

I shrugged. "Eh, better than 'team one' and 'team two', don't cha think?"

"I suppose, but 'Weiss Rose' sounds like we married and I took your name." She said, a slight blush playing at her cheeks.

I raised an eyebrow. "Uhh, it was never _Weiss_ Rose, it's _White_ rose." A smirk crossed my face. "Unless you want it to be…"

Her blush deepened. "Umm… No, I think _White_ rose sounds… acceptable. I must have just misheard you."

Before I could tease her further, the door opened and the two missing members of Team RWBY strode through, the spoils of war on their backs. "So, uhh, how'd yours go?"

"Well, Weiss got her usual mountain of dust and I got a few thousand Lien. So, I'd say pretty well."

Blake set her bag down before diving into the pantry. "Ours went pretty well too."

Weiss gave Blake a sideways glance. "I don't intend to sound racist… but just how much of your behavior is due to your faunus nature?"

Blake threw an empty tuna can into a garbage full of more empty tuna cans. She raised an eyebrow. "This is because of my eating habits, isn't it?"

"Partially… Looking back, I've noticed that you seem curl up next to heaters quite often. Also, there was the laser pointer incident last week."

"Its not _my_ fault they keep the school about ten degrees too cold… Also, Jaune doesn't remember anything happening."

I laughed. "Yea, 'cause you gave him a concussion."

"I'm sure he's fine." She sighed. "Anyways, can we move on from this subject?" She turned to me. "How did Junior's go?"

"I'd say it was a success." Suddenly, my scroll vibrated. I hummed. "Damn, she works fast. She's already in."

"I can believe it." Blake chimed in. "The White Fang never really vetted applicants beyond asking if they would do anything for the 'advancement of faunuskind'." She said with airquotes.

I shrugged. "Yea, standard terrorist MO."

Blake looked unimpressed. "I still don't see why _I_ couldn't just go."

"Heh, two reasons, Blakey." I started, earning a glare. "1) They know you. 2) You'd be missed here, not just by your team, but also by professors. And the _last_ thing we want is for Ozzy to be asking questions."

She crossed her arms. "I suppose you have a point."

I grinned. "Well, it's not like I'm new at this, Ninjagirl."

She raised an eyebrow before a smirk played at her lips. "I actually think that's a fitting nickname for once."

"Heh, of course it is, I came up with it, after all."

There was a pregnant pause before my sister spoke up. "So, did you uhh… did you get anything on Ozpin yet?"

I sighed. "Not really. I've gone into his office a few times now, but it looks like a lot of his secrets aren't written down."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "If they aren't written down, how do you know they exist in the first place?"

"Well, a lot of his written things _do_ mention things that just don't make sense if he wasn't keeping secrets. For instance, under every female student's file, there's a field called 'candidacy', though nothing mentions for what." I let out a small giggle. "Whatever it is, he thinks I'm quote-unquote 'too unpredictable' for it."

"Perhaps he is looking for a successor?" My partner suggested.

"Maybe, but I kinda doubt it. He had Pyrrha as his 'most promising' candidate, and I _really_ don't think she'd be cut out for the administrative side of the job. Also, he seems a bit young for that, don't you think?"

She put her hand to her chin in thought. "Now that you mention it, I don't even think he's fifty yet." She shook her head. "No, there are far more important things for him to do than appoint a successor at this time."

I sighed. "I'll see about gettin' my hands on a bug, but right now, its time you guys got some rest. We'll start on our secondary weapons tomorrow."

They all nodded and filed out.

* * *

 **-clank clank whoosh-**

"Not bad, tinman."

 **-clank whoosh clank-**

"Heh, not so bad yourself, birdman."

 **-whoosh clank whoosh-**

"You're getting better. I might even break a sweat."

 **-clank scrape thud-**

"Guess I win, good match." I said as I extended my hand to my grounded uncle.

He grinned and accepted my hand before I pulled him up. "Yea, still don't know where you learned that."

"Heh, too old to learn a new trick?"

"I am not _old_." He said defensively. "Sure, I might not exactly be young anymore, but old's pushin' it."

"Whatever you say, Qrow." I said as an alarm went off on my scroll. "Ah, forgot about that…" My uncle raised an eyebrow. "My team just finished making new weapons and today we're gonna test 'em out."

"New weapons? What, did they break their old ones when I wasn't lookin'?"

"Nah, they're just meant to solve our range problem…" I shrugged. "Also, it never hurts to have an extra gun if you need it."

"Well, can't say I disagree with ya on that one." He hummed. "Mind if I join you? I haven't gotten to spend much time with my nieces lately."

I shrugged. "Eh, sure, why not. I'm sure Weiss and Blake won't mind."

He gave a curt nod. "Thanks kiddo, I just have to stop by my room quick."

"Alright, we still have about ten minutes anyway." I said before following him. As we were walking, I decided to ask him a question. "So, does Dad know about me yet?"

"Probably not. He kinda became a shut-in after…" He trailed off.

"…After me and mom died, yea."

We walked in silence for a bit before he opened his mouth. "Do you think she's-"

"No." I sighed. "Sorry to be the bearer of bad news… but one of the few things I remember is mom's bleeding and broken body lying next to me."

He shuddered. "That was an image I could've gone without picturing…" He sighed. "But for what its worth, I'm sorry you had to go through it."

I gave him a sad smile. "Its okay…" I pulled out my rose emblem. "It was years ago and… well… I like to think she hears me whenever I talk to this…"

He offered his own sad smile. "You know… Sum would do the same thing." I raised an eyebrow. "That emblem was originally her mom's. She died protecting Summer when she was ten." He paused. "You're named after her, you know."

"Huh, didn't know that." I said before examining the emblem, eventually settling on the ancient engraving on the back. "In loving memory of… Evelyn Rose? 1043 – 1081."

"Woah. That thing's a _lot_ older than Summer let on…" I raised an eyebrow, not knowing exactly what year it was currently by Remnant standards. "If this is to be believed, she died exactly five-hundred years ago."

"Huh, well isn't that something…" I said as we stopped in front of a door.

"This'll only take a second." He said, slipping inside the room. A minute later, he came back out and we were on our way. A few minutes after that, we opened the door to the shooting range. "Hey Firecracker." He greeted.

Yang turned around before giving a slight smile. "Hey birdman."

He groaned. "Oh, not you too…" A slight smirk played at his lips as he started to turn around. "Well, if your gonna be that way…" He produced an envelope from one of his shirt pockets. "…I guess you'll just have to wait for your birthday present…"

Her eyes widened. "What?! No! I'm sorry!"

"Wait what?" I said. "Its Yang's birthday?" The rest of the team, who were also present, shared my confusion.

"Not yet," Qrow answered. "she's a new year's baby." He said while keeping the envelope away from my sister. "But I won't be around when it actually happens, so I thought I'd give it to her a week early." He smirked. "Now Yang, this is for you and you only. So, open it when you're alone. Got it?"

She quit trying to desperately grab the envelope from our uncle. "O- Okay…" She said a little sheepishly. Qrow relented and handed her the envelope. "I'll uhh… I'll be right back, guys." A small bit of melancholy seeping into her voice as she walked out the door.

I raised an eyebrow. "What was that about?"

He shrugged. "Every year, I give her a… well, I guess you could call it a clue." He took a swig from his flask. "If ya wanna know about what, you'll have to ask her."

I nodded and turned to the other two members of my team. "Alright, then. Let's get started." I said as I walked over to my locker and picked up my MA5B, now named 'Onyx Rose'.

Weiss strode forward and grasped her BR55 before inspecting it. She nodded and opened up a slot within the foregrip, exposing a slot for a single 40mm dust capsule. She loaded it with Ice dust and took aim at a straw dummy down range. She squeezed the trigger, sending a burst of three unaugmented rounds into the target. With a smirk, she thumbed the selector switch and squeezed off another burst, this time, coated with ice dust. The dummy froze and shattered. "Well, I would say my weapon is functional." Weiss commented.

"Heh, you could say that again, Ice Queen." She let out a 'Hmf'. "Well, you're up, Blake." I said, turning to the person in question.

The noirette nodded and shouldered her suppressed DMR, looking through its iron sights. She squeezed the trigger three times, sending three rounds straight into another dummy's head. "Seems accurate." She commented while slotting the scope into place. Normally, the scope on an M392 DMR would only possess a x3 magnification feature, but I thought it appropriate to give her the scope on my, currently useless, SRS99-AM; enabling her to use either x2 or x10 magnification. She squeezed off another few rounds before humming. "I like it."

I smirked. "See? I knew you'd warm up to the idea. By the way, how good is the suppressor?" I asked, secretly asking 'how effective is it against faunus with ear traits?'

She hummed. "Against things like nevermores and deathstalkers, its perfect." 'Good against people without hearing enhancements' went unsaid. "But beowolves would be able to hear it as if it wasn't suppressed at all." 'Hearing enhancements make it useless'.

"Hmm, good to know." I commented. "Alright, lets keep practicing, team!" They all nodded and got to work.

* * *

/-\

* * *

I blearily opened my eyes with a groan… …only to immediately shut them as a blinding light seared into my eyes. I buried my face into the furry pillow I was snug- 'Wait, furry pillow?' My eyes shot open and I saw that what I was snuggling was not a furry pillow, but instead, a mass of long, pitch black hair. I paused for a moment, trying to figure out just who it belonged to… …before shooting back towards the wall.

The head turned towards me, revealing the amber-eyed face of my partner. "Morning." She smirked. "Sleep well?"

I paled, just now realizing the implications of waking up in bed with my partner. "D- Did we…?" I trailed off.

"No, what happened was far more innocent than what you're suggesting." Her smirk widened at my confusion. "How much of last night do you remember, birthday girl?"

I tried to concentrate, but everything seemed foggy. "I… I think we were on an airship going to Vale. I remember bright lights, loud music, uhh…" Suddenly, I broke out into a fit of laughter. "Someone threw up on Weiss."

I heard a sigh come from the other side of the room. "That was _you_ , you dolt…"

I blinked. "O- Oh… Uhh… sorry?" I turned back to my partner, who, by this point, had gotten out of bed and was stowing the book she was reading. "Soooo, what happened?"

She crossed her arms. "Well, we were in Vale and walked by a nightclub hosting a New Year's Day party. You got a bit curious, saying you'd never been to one before, and we went in. Eventually, you realized you could legally drink and ordered a Strawberry Sunrise. At some point, someone must've drugged it and you started acting really crazy. You threw up on Weiss, we got kicked out, then on the airship back you started rambling about my ears and wouldn't let go of me." I flushed in embarrassment. "When we got back to the dorm, you dragged me into my own bed and trapped me there before falling asleep."

I buried my face in my hands. "I am so… _so_ sorry…"

She waved me off. "You were _high_. Its not like you knew what you were doing." She paused. "Oh, I left out the part where you caught a raven and started shouting at it for some reason. You're surprisingly agile while high."

I blinked. "Uhh… Thank you?" I said in a questioning tone.

She shrugged. "Anyways, I think its time for a show-"

The door burst open. "Alright ladies!" My sister announced. "Our armor's done and we should probably pick it up today. No tellin' when Cel'll find something."

* * *

I stared in awe at the three sets of armor in front of us. "Wow…"

Three suits stood before us on armor stands. One white, one black, and one yellow. Each obviously drew inspiration from the ODST armor we saw some soldiers wearing during the fall of Reach, though there were some notable differences. On each of the left shoulders, instead of the standard ODST pauldron, sat a flatter piece that adorned our respective huntress insignia. Mine looked to be slightly bulkier than the other two, Weiss's adorned a white combat skirt, and Blake's helmet was slightly more bulbous to accommodate her ears. Lastly, instead of the visors being black, like we were used to, they were silver.

"You could say that again." My partner commented.

"Heh, I think ya did good." My sister said to the armorsmith. "Why don't cha explain the armor features to their new owners?"

We all turned to him. "Alright, I'll go over the features that everyone has first, then I'll go over the individual modifications." He gestured to my armor on the wall, specifically the chest plate. "Everyone has a few… erm, 'ablative plates', as your leader calls them. Namely, the chest, shoulders, and stomach pieces. Instead of increasing the effectiveness of your aura like most huntsman armor, these pieces actually repel it completely, making sure _they_ take damage before your aura does. If at any time they become too damaged to be functional, each individual piece has a quick-release that'll allow you to drop it. Though the rest of your armor functions the same as its traditional counterpart. Also, the ablative plates are laid _over_ the normal armor." He paused for a moment.

"Everyone has their own old-fashioned radio in their helmets. I don't know why your leader chose to use that instead of the CCT, but its not my business to question. Also, every suit except the black one has built-in night vision. Lastly, each visor can either be transparent," He pressed a hidden button on the inside of the helmet. "Or mirrored." He pressed the button again before humming. "Oh yes! Everyone also has magnetic weapon clamps on both their backs and on each thigh. That's about all I can think of for this part… On to the individual modifications."

He gestured to the yellow suit, mine, if I were to guess. "This one has a bit thicker ablative armor plates," He thrust a thumb at my sister. "she said you wouldn't mind the extra weight." I shook my head as he strode over to the black suit and gestured to the helmet. "Hers has a bit of extra room on the inside." He shrugged. "I don't know why, but again, not my place to ask." He walked over to the white, and final, suit. "Lastly, the white one has an ablative skirt. It works the same as all the other ablative pieces, though." He stepped away from the suits of armor and addressed my sister. "Alright, why don't you ladies try on your new gear while me and your leader settle up."

We all gave our affirmations as the two left. About fifteen minutes later, we were finally dressed and Ruby came back in. "So, how's it all fit?" Blake spoke first, but it was too muffled to understand her. "Oh, right. Try the intercom function." She tilted her head, as if asking a question. "There should be a switch right about," Ruby pointed to her cheek. "here."

Eventually, Blake seemed to have gotten it. "Can you hear me now?"

"Yep! So, how's the ears?"

"Actually, pretty good. I'd say this is actually more comfortable than my bow." She said, a smirk visible behind her transparent visor.

"Good to hear, how's everyone else?"

"This is… surprisingly comfortable…" Weiss remarked.

"Yea, it feels like a second skin."

"Heh, you think that's comfortable, try MJOLNIR. I literally spent the last two years cooped up in there and I was comfortable the entire time." I blinked before she continued. "Anyways, we're all good to head out, let's get-" Her scroll buzzed. "Cel just got her report in." Her face turned serious as she read it. "Let's get back to base, its not safe to talk here."

* * *

/-\

* * *

"Comm check." I ordered as the team crawled up a hill overlooking our objective.

"Two, I read." My partner responded.

"Three here."

"Four, I'm good." My sister answered.

"Alright Team. We've got intel that the 'Fang are planning somethin' big. Without the Blazing Sun pumpin' 'em full of dust, they're starting to steal it themselves. We've also got reports that they're stockpiling weapons at this facility. It is possible that Roman Torchwick or Adam Taurus are present, if anyone gets eyes on either of them, report it to me. I'll handle it. Combatants are required to have an unlocked aura, but if you are engaged by 'Fangers out of uniform, go for non-lethal takedowns. Clear?"

"Crystal." / "Yes." / "Got it." Were their responses.

"Good, our objective is to steal what we can and destroy whatever's left. I'll deal with any HVTs in the area. Let's move out." I ordered. Thunder sounded in the distance as our footsteps fell onto the dampened ground. Blake and I split off from the rest of the team, with Team Freezerburn going northward and the noirette going southward. I crouched behind a fallen tree.

"Freezerburn in position." Weiss announced.

"Same here." Blake announced from her overwatch position. "Looks like the compound's fairly lightly guarded. I don't think they were expecting us." Suddenly, the roar of an aircraft was heard overhead. "Bullhead, landing on the eastern pad." She paused. "Doors opening, its-" She gasped. "I- its him… Adam's here…"

"Copy, stay on overwatch for now. Operation BROKEN FANG is a go." I said, leaping from my position and charging the enemy base. I activated my intercom. " **HEY ASSCLOWNS!** " I shouted. Normally, this would be an _extremely_ terrible idea to alert the enemy that they were being attacked, but the team _really_ didn't want any enemy casualties. Thus, I elected to shout at them so they would raise their auras.

They all turned to me, though I didn't even bother to allow them a response, instead, I raised my rifle and opened fire. The two guards stationed at the eastern entrance fell, their auras flickering and dying, though their bodies unharmed. I heard the wale of klaxons, signifying their response. "Phase two is a go." I announced shortly before I heard Blake open fire from her elevated position.

I broke through the measly gate and was greeted by a equally meager defensive line still in the process of being set up. I opened fire, dropping one, then two, then three, then many 'Fangers.

My shield took a few hits from the right side. Turning, I saw a non-combatant unloading his pistol at me as fast as he could pull the trigger, an expression of complete and utter terror plastered on his face. I dashed over to him and knocked him out with one swift punch. My motion tracker registered an enemy swiftly moving towards me. I smirked, already knowing who it was, as I ducked under a slash from behind. Using the momentum from ducking, I kicked my legs upwards, hitting my would-be assailant in the chin.

He flew backwards with the grace of a flying brick. I turned off my intercom, now only speaking through my comms. "Phase three, I've engaged the HVT."

"Got it, on the way." My partner responded.

I smirked under my helmet and turned on my intercom once more. "Heh, Adam Taurus… Fancy meeting you here."

He stood opposite me, his hand on his sheathed sword. "So, you're the one that put Torchwick in his place." He smirked. "I can't _wait_ to kill you."

"You're certainly welcome to try, Bulley-boy." He roared in anger and charged me, sending several slices my way. I dodged every one of them. "You're gonna have to do better than that." I said as I delivered several quick kicks. He dodged some, but most connected with either his legs or his chest, and he was flung back again.

While he was in the air, I quickly swapped magazines to a fresh one. Just as he landed, I shouldered my rifle, and unloaded the entire magazine into his form. His blade spun around in a blur of crimson, deflecting all but the first couple rounds. As the last round left the chamber, I reached into one of my front pockets and pulled out a single 40mm buckshot grenade before shoving it into the underslung grenade launcher on my weapon. I pulled the secondary trigger after aiming it just to the side of my foe, who was in the middle of re-sheathing his weapon.

I ducked into a corner just as I heard the grenade detonate, sending pellets everywhere. I heard my opponent yelp and I ducked out of cover, my knives at the ready. We danced like this for quite a few moments. Each of us throwing a strike only to be blocked by the other. He went high, I matched him and threw my own… …only to _be_ matched and have a counterstrike thrown at me.

Realizing he couldn't win in a fair fight, he leapt back and planted his feet into the ground his hair adopting a crimson glow. My eyes widened as I realized what he was about to do, and I hit the ground in a flurry of rose petals… …just in time to duck under his moonslice.

The building behind me buckled and collapsed, its rubble blocking one of the narrow alleyways in the compound. I rolled to the side and avoided his blade plunging into my chest before retaliating with a kick, sending him to the ground while his sword remained embedded within the dirt.

I dove onto him, though he rolled out of the way just in time. As I was recovering, he aimed at me with Blush and a few rounds pinged off my shields. He and I had the same idea as we both went for his sword, but he made a mistake... _Never_ engage a Spartan in a contest of physical strength.

I picked up his sword with one arm and punched him, full force, in the face with the other. His aura flickered, but did not shatter, as he was flung through a building. I took a moment to pick up Blush from its resting place, sheathing Wilt within it.

I strode into the now-three-walled building, expecting to find an unconscious bull faunus within. However, I was greeted with the sight of a crumpled refrigerator and an open window. I immediately keyed my mic. "Be advised, Adam Taurus has escaped. You have permission to engage on sight."

"Copy." My partner answered. "We're almost done here. Charges are set, we're just moving the White Fang to a safe distance."

"I'm about done too." Blake interjected. "Command staff are hogtied and I'm gathering intel as we speak."

"Great, I'll make the call." I said as I looted a scroll from an unconscious 'Fanger. "Hello, emergency services? Yea, there's gonna be a massive explosion in the Emerald Forest in a couple minutes… Do get here when its over, the White Fang at the scene will need to be rounded up." I said, my voice modified, before hanging up and ditching the device. "Alright, cops are on the way. ETA to completion?"

"Freezerburn is done, moving to exfil."

"Same here." Blake responded.

"Alright, ladies! Let's roll!" I said.

Minutes later, a massive fireball engulfed the center building of the White Fang compound.

* * *

(A/N) So that was a totally expected thing, RWBY raiding the WF, that is. By the way, we are still almost two months before the docks incident is supposed to happen in cannon. According to the .txt file I've been using to keep track of what happens when, it is currently… The morning of Tuesday, January 4th. No, I didn't intentionally make a 'for me it was a Tuesday' joke, it just kinda… happened like that… There's also been quite a bit of time skipping in this chapter, with the first scene actually taking place a little under a month (Dec 6th) before the last one.

Also, we're not done with Volume One yet. Depending on how things go, there'll either be three or four chapters before Volume Two begins.

Hopefully the Adam vs Ruby fight was alright. Tbh, there really isn't much you can do to describe his style when he faces a skilled opponent.

Just to be clear: Cel is _not_ Selini. Cel is actually a shortening of her real name, Celestia. And she will continue to feed RWBY info on the WF for the time being.

Anyways, Reviews!

TheFishKing – Tbh, I'm not really planning on it, no. At least, not anytime soon.

raw666 – I never thought of it that way, possibly in the future. With your second review, in my mind, Innies never posed enough of a threat to give her PTSD in the first place, though it is a good idea should the covvies show up.

pspreader – Yep, plans are _definitely_ afoot, lol.

seraphimnight – Thanks!

Roboman – That got a good chuckle out of me too, though you're right. It was completely unintentional and I didn't even notice until you pointed it out. Suddenly, I'm imagining Mr. T beating Cardin for picking on Selini.

OrangeGalen – That's a solid line of thought. It, or a variation of, might show up later on.

Shadow Walker Of Fire – I'll admit, Mando Ruby is growing on me. Though I wont have time to write it between this story, The Fall of Reach, and another project that's already in the works. Also, Feet first into hell and back again!

Guest 01/02 – You make a good point that _WBY wouldn't be able to kill, though I kinda sidestepped the issue by making sure the actual combatants all have their auras unlocked… however weak they may be. Also, the point of her doing this isn't just to undermine the White Fang in particular, its to train her team for if the covvies find Remnant.

osterreicher97 – Thanks! And I always justified it as 'they covered it so long ago that by the time Blake came out of hiding, everyone already forgot about it.' Though, it doesn't explain why it wasn't covered _later_ in the story. Oh well. I always pictured Mistral as having three unique cultures due to its size. Chinese in the east, Greco-Roman in the south, and Scandinavian in the north-west. You're partially right with how I see Atlas (a combination of German and American). Vale, in my eyes, is Western Europe. Vacuo is a not-war-torn middle east/north Africa. On the power leveling, I don't think an average Spartan-II could compete with a fully-fledged and experienced maiden like Raven, though if anyone could, it'd be Master Chief obviously.

red october 700 – Thanks! Hope you enjoyed it. Though this isn't the finale for V1 just yet.

And that's it for chapter ten! We're almost done with V1's Beacon arc now, and it'll be concluded in chapter eleven 'Homecoming'. Hope you all enjoyed.


	11. Homecoming

Hello again! Here's another chapter of Ruby B-312. But let me tell you guys something quick before you start reading… **THERE IS AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE BOTTOM A/N, PLEASE READ IT.** Well, at least read _that_ part of it… Anyways, that is all…

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 4/27/19

* * *

Chapter Eleven – Homecoming

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Vale /-\

* * *

The Vytal Festival!" My partner happily exclaimed. "Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!"

"Heh, is the Ice Queen finally melting?" I jokingly jabbed at my friend.

"Quiet, you." She said, her happy expression fading for a moment before re-asserting itself. "This is a festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will dances, parades, a tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!"

"Didn't know you were that into organization, Weiss." Blake remarked as we approached the docks.

"Well, I will one day be the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company," Blake grimaced at that comment. "the company will be ruined if I don't study organization, so I figured 'why not learn to appreciate it?'."

"Point." She said.

We approached the end of the pier and I raised my eyebrow. "So, not that I'm sayin' we can't stay, it is your day after all, buuuut why are we here?"

"Yeah, the docks smell like fish…" My sister commented.

Blake shrugged. "I don't see the problem."

Weiss clasped her hands behind her back. "Well, I heard that students arriving from Vacuo will be landing today, and, as a huntress-in-training at the legendary Beacon Academy, it is my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine Kingdom."

"Heh, if you wanna spy on the competition, just say so."

"You can't prove that's what I'm doing."

I smirked. "Whatever you say, Ice Queen."

She rolled her eyes. "You're such an Oaf."

"Heh, so I've been told." There was a several seconds long pause. "Soooo, when are they getting here?"

"Well, that ship over there just pulled in." Blake observed. "Maybe they're on tha-"

"HEY! STOP THAT FAUNUS!" We heard shouted from the decks of another ship.

We all turned towards it to see a blond-haired monkey Faunus running from a pair of sailors. He jumped down from the boat and ran across the pier, his athleticism indicating that he was very likely a huntsman-in-training. A pair of cops approached where he hung from a lamppost…

…before getting a banana peel thrown in their faces.

The man ran up the steps, the officers hot on his tail, and would run right by us. I smirked as I gently placed my foot just _slightly_ outwards, causing him to trip as he turned to wink at Blake.

He fell with an "Oomph!" as the police officers caught up to him. One of them immediately dove onto him and threw on a pair of aura-cuffs before reading him his rights. The other turned to us. "Thanks for the help, we'll take it from here." He said as they carted him away.

Weiss pinched her nose and sighed. "I'm sorry Blake, but people like _that_ make it so tempting to return to my old habits…"

"And what do you expect me to do about it?" She shot back. "I don't expect _you_ to fix every Human, so why do _I_ have to fix every Faunus?"

"I didn't- I just- Ugh, just… forget I said anything…"

Blake sighed. "I guess you did describe him as a person instead of immediately jumping to some of your other terms like 'Degenerate' or something…"

"Yes, well… I think we can be done here for the day." My partner said.

We all turned to walk away. "Hey, what do you guys think of another _evening stroll_ before the semester's over?" I asked as we strode past a bustling dust shop.

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And whoabouts would we be _strolling_ with?"

I grinned. "Eh, I think some _vampires_ are in the area."

"Well, I for one am not opposed to your proposition."

"Same." My sister said as her partner nodded.

"Alright, how does this weekend wound?"

They all gave their affirmations as we rounded a corner.

"Do we have any- Oof!" My partner started before running into someone and knocking them over. "Ugggghhhh…" She groaned.

"Uhh, Weiss?" My sister said, snapping her out of her temporary daze.

Weiss shook her head and looked directly at the person who she had accidentally tackled. "Gah!" She exclaimed, practically leaping away from the grounded girl, who merely smiled and waved.

My partner adopted a look of slight horror as we stood there in complete silence, neither party moving a muscle. "Umm…" I started. "You okay down there?"

The girl paused for a moment. "I am wonderful! Thank you for asking!" She said before remaining, unmoving, on the ground.

I raised an eyebrow. "Aaaare you sure? Do you need help getting up?"

She shook her head. "No thank you, I am perfectly capable of resetting to a standing position on my own." She said… _still_ remaining on the ground.

"Soo… uhh…" My sister started. "Do you, uhh… _want_ to get up?"

The strange girl paused for a moment as if thinking it over. "Yes." She said matter-of-factly, giving a slight nod at the same time. She thrust her legs up and over her head, throwing herself into a roll and propelling herself upwards. The three other members of my team took a step backwards, though I wasn't so easily weirded out. "My name is Penny, It's a pleasure to meet you!" The girl chirped.

"I'm Ruby, leader of Beacon's Team RWBY. This is-" I gestured to the rest of my team.

"Oh!" The girl interrupted, a spark of recognition on her face. "Then they must be Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long." I blinked. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

I paused for a minute before smirking. "Heh, looks like you weren't the only one spying, Ice Queen."

Weiss manages to shake herself from her stupor for a second. "You're participating in the tournament, then?"

She gave a single, enthusiastic, nod. "I'm combat ready!"

"Well… It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Penny, but I'm afraid my team must be moving on now. We have… a… team meeting! Yes, we have a meeting to go to! Team ears only." Weiss said, seemingly thinking on the fly.

Blake gave a goodbye wave, though Yang seemed oblivious. "Wha? No, we-" I gave her a 'light' smack to the stomach. "-Hurk!" She got out, though she recovered quickly. "I uhh… yeah we do, actually. Let's get going, guys." She said, absentmindedly rubbing the place that I'd hit.

We walked for several seconds before Penny seemingly teleported in front of us. "What did you call me?" We were all hopelessly confused on what she was talking about. "You…" She got right up in my partner's face, and I stood with my hand on one of my hidden knives, ready to defend my teammate. "You called me an 'acquaintance'!" We all paused for a minute. "I have read that it is a synonym for 'friend'. Am I really your friend, Weiss?"

She blinked before her face hardened. "N-"

"Of course she is!" I interrupted, earning a shocked glare from my partner. "In fact, we're _both_ your friends, right Weiss?"

Her eye twitched. " _Yes_ … _of course we are, Penny_." She spoke through clenched teeth.

The girl, seemingly oblivious to Wiess's near-meltdown, stepped back and threw her hands up in the air. "Sen-sational!" She returned her gaze to us, a smile plastered on her face. "We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys!"

Weiss facepalmed. "What have you gotten me into now, Ruby…"

Penny teleported to her side. "What is wrong, friend-Weiss?"

I came to her rescue. "Nothing, Penny. But we'll have to get a rain-check on that. We _do_ have a meeting to get to." I lied.

"Okay!" The girl chirped. "I look forward to spending time with you two! Good day!" She said as she stiffly strode off.

When she was certain Penny was out of earshot, Weiss pinned me against a wall… …or at least tried to… Letting out an indignant huff, she eventually gave up. "Why did you do that?!" She yelled.

"You were gonna turn her down." I stated.

"Yes! And what would be wrong with that?! There's something wrong with her, and I would rather not be responsible for dealing with whatever it is."

"And you would break someone's heart over it?" I asked. "Weiss, even a _Spartan_ could see that she was desperate to have a friend. _So_ desperate, that I think we might be her first." I giggled. "And besides, in case you've forgotten, I roped myself into it too. If she really _is_ crazy, then I've got your back."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine." She shook her head. "But if I get murdered, I'm haunting you."

* * *

"And that's the match." Professor Goodwitch commented. "Sapphire Spruce is the winner." She looked at the clock as the two combatants exited the arena. "Now, I'm sure you all are very eager to be done with this class for the semester, however, we have one more match." A slight grin tugged at her lips. "Ruby Rose and Pyrrha Nikos." The rest of the class erupted into whispers as both Pyrrha and I took the stage, the only two undefeated combatants of our year. "Are you ready?" Goodwitch asked. I racked the bolt of Onyx Rose before nodding to my instructor. My opponent shifted her weapon to its rifle form and took a kneeling position, bracing herself behind her shield before nodding as well. "Alright, begin!"

I rolled to the side, avoiding her first volley, while aiming at her weapon. She flinched slightly as a couple bullets slammed into the aura around her hand, throwing off her aim. A few rounds pinged off the floor around me just as my weapon clicked, signifying that it had expended its ammunition. Instead of replacing the magazine, I dropped my weapon, exchanging it for my knives. I had elected to bring neither Wilt and Blush nor my armor to any classes, seeing as the former would raise many unwanted questions and the latter would make any combat _stupidly_ unfair… as opposed to the plain stupidly unfair that most matches are without it.

She quickly shifted her rifle into Xiphos form and charged me. I elected to give the crowd a bit of a show and held my dagger just _slightly_ off target, allowing Milo to skid across it and slam into my aura-protected shoulder. I didn't even wince at the pain, plasma fire tends to dull that reaction, instead opting to trap the blade with my arm.

Her eyes widened as Milo was wrenched from her grip when I spun, though she was not so shocked that she failed to dodge the follow-up kick that I threw. She slammed into me with her shield, though its effects were dull at best compared to what a Mgalekgolo could do with the same move. Just for added effect, I stepped backwards, giving the illusion that Pyrrha had me on the ropes. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her weapon being flung at my head, a black aura surrounding it. I ducked, though that meant her blade was returned to her hand.

She slashed at me with relentless fervor, though I blocked every strike. While she _certainly_ wasn't pushing my limits, her strikes were precise, quick, powerful, and didn't telegraph any more than they needed to. In other words: Pyrrha Nikos is an excellent swordswoman. 'Too bad I'm a Spartan.' I idly thought as I swept her legs, knocking her off balance.

She yelped as I punched her in the face with the butt of one of my knives. She rolled out of the way just as I would've leaped onto her. Instead of being pinned, she now attempted to pin _me._ She pounced on me, though I used her momentum against her and threw her off. I again attempted to pin her and she made one last ditch effort to not lose the match… …by kicking me in the groin.

I raised an eyebrow as I held my knife to her throat. "Yield." I commanded, to which she paused; meekly nodding a few moments later. I got up instantly and sheathed my knives before helping her up. "Kalos teiri, Pyrrha."

She blinked. "Pardon me?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You're from Southern Mistral, right?"

She withdrew her hand and rubbed the back of her head. "My ancestors may be… but I'm afraid my family hasn't spoken the language in generations."

"Oh." I said, surprised. "Well, the literal translation is 'Good Match', but where I'm from, it means something along the lines of 'You were a worthy opponent'." I explained, though I would never reveal that I learned it during Spartan training… …or that it was literally the only phrase in Greek that I understood.

"Oh, well in that case, Kaylowse teerie to you, too." She said, smiling.

I returned the gesture as Professor Goodwitch finally spoke up. "Well, it appears we have a winner." She said, the scoreboard behind her reading 87% aura for me and 85% for Pyrrha. "Let this be a reminder to all that neither ringout nor aura levels are the _only_ ways to win a tournament-style duel." She paused. "This has been an interesting semester and I am very proud to say that everyone has improved since they walked through those doors the for the first time. While this class may be over for now, I expect you all to be back next semester. In case you have forgotten, the next term begins on Monday, March 21st. I will not accept any excuses for being late." The bell rang. "And with that I bid you all farewell. Have a good two-week break." I started to walk out of the classroom and- "Miss Rose." I turned to her. "A word, please."

I walked over to her. "Yeah?"

"If you ever find yourself in a _real_ fight, might I suggest that you not hold back." She said before her eyes narrowed. "But I believe you already know that, don't you?"

Having been working around ONI spooks for my entire career, her attempt at intimidation almost seemed laughable. I gave her a small smirk. "Well, yeah. Heh, you saw me during initiation, after all." I turned and walked away. "Have a good day, Professor Goodwitch." I said as I exited the arena, under no illusion that she was completely oblivious to my team's activities... And if _she_ suspected something… Ozpin wasn't far behind…

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Schnee Manor Airpad /-\

* * *

I took a steadying breath. There was a possibility, however unlikely, that Father lurked beyond the door in front of me. More likely it was Klein or, hopefully, Winter. I took off my helmet and opened the door to exit the bullhead I was riding. A grin spread across my face as I locked eyes with my sister. "WINTER!" I shouted, sprinting forward and enveloping her in a hug…

…shortly before coming to my senses and backing off. "Oh, umm…" I adopted a practiced, and formal, posture. Just now realizing that I had dropped my helmet. "It is wonderful to see you, sister."

Winter shook herself out of her shock and waved off her guards. "Leave us." They nodded and strode away…

…shortly before Winter enveloped me in her own hug. "I am equally happy to see you as well, sister." She broke the embrace and looked me over. "I never took you as the armor-wearing sort of huntress, Weiss. Why the sudden change?"

"Oh, umm…" I trailed off as I picked up my helmet. "Well, it has to do with my team's leader. In her experience, armor is a necessity."

She motioned for me to walk with her. "That may be true for _her_ fighting style, but _yours_ relies on keeping mobile. Armor may not be the best idea for you."

"I'll admit, I thought the same thing at first. But with what's out there, she's right." I said, implying that I was referring to the Grimmlands, though actually referencing the stars. "Armor _is_ a necessity. For everyone." I paused. "Plus, this particular battle dress uniform is specifically designed to not hinder my mobility."

"That is somewhat reassuring." She hummed. "You seem to have a great deal of faith in your leader." My sister observed.

I paused for a minute. "Yes. I would say that I do. While some of her methods might be considered to be… _unorthodox_ , she has proven to be an effective leader both on and off the battlefield."

"Interesting." She opened the doors to her chambers. "Let us continue this discussion in private." We both strode in and she poured us each a cup of tea. She took a sip. "Weiss, know that whatever you do, I will always love you."

I blinked. "Of course. Why would you feel the need to state that?"

She sighed. "Whatever you say here will _not_ leave this room. Be it by my lips or yours. Understand?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh-kay… Might I ask what brought this on?"

"As you well know, just under two months ago, a major White Fang hideout was destroyed by an unknown force."

I nodded. "Yes, it is quite fortunate that someone is finally willing to apprehend those ne'er-do-wells."

"What you likely don't know, is that I was the one to interrogate the survivors." She paused. "A number of them mentioned a figure in white armor wielding a rapier and using the Schnee semblance." My eyes widened. "Weiss, I need to know. Was that your team?" I sat there, too shocked to answer. My silence seemed to be enough of an answer for her as she put her hand over mine. "Why?"

After several seconds, I composed myself. "They're up to something. Something _big_." I paused for a moment. "We had intel that they were working with Roman Torchwick." Now it was Winter's turn to be shocked. "And, knowing them, that could only mean one thing… They were being _used_ by someone else." I paused. "We pieced together that Torchwick would _never_ work with a group of Faunus supremacists. And, conversely, the White Fang would _never_ work with a Human, let alone someone as racist as him."

"So, rather than tell the authorities or your headmaster, you took it upon yourselves to, as you put it, 'apprehend those ne'er-do-wells'."

I nodded. "Yes. We haven't just been gathering intel on the White Fang. Professor Ozpin is hiding something, and it is impossible for us to fully trust him at this time."

"Trust or not, you still should have gone to him. After all, you are merely four huntresses _-in-training_."

I frowned. "My other two teammates and I might just be huntresses-in-training, yes, but we are led by a _Spartan_." I said. "One of the best out there."

She sighed. "I just want you to be safe, sister."

"I know. But it will be my duty as a huntress to protect the people. Why not get started now?"

"Because you're not ready, Weiss." She paused. "I don't know how Beacon runs their programs, but if its anything like Atlas, then I _know_ you are ill-equipped to deal with the things that happen in the field."

"And Ruby is helping to fix that issue." I shot back. "Every morning, we train. As a _team._ And it shows, too. Our combat scores are all in the top ten percent of our class. With Ruby being number one, Yang being number three, Blake fourth, and I am fifth. With the person in second place being none but the esteemed Pyrrha Nikos herself, an individual that joins us most days in our training." I paused. "But enough of this serious business, Winter. Its not often the case I get to spend time with you. Perhaps we could practice together?" My form shrank slightly. "I… I am having some trouble with summoning, and I was wondering if you could give me some tips."

She blinked, dazed for a moment, before a small smirk spread across her lips. "That sounds like a wonderful idea. Funny, just a single semester in and Beacon has already changed you. Perhaps I was wrong, the rigid structure of my alma-mater was ill-suited for you."

I finished the last of my tea. "Oh? The esteemed Winter Schnee being wrong? Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" I asked, sarcastically, before realizing what just escaped my mouth. "Hmm, it would seem you are correct in that I've changed since leaving. I suppose that Oaf of a leader has rubbed off on me, somewhat."

She stood up and motioned to the door. "Of course I am correct." She smirked. "I am the _esteemed_ Winter Schnee, after all." We both stared at each other for a moment before sharing a hearty, yet elegant, laugh.

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Patch /-\

* * *

"Are you guys sure you want me here?" My partner asked. "After all, I'm sure I would be fine back at Beacon."

"Blake, don't worry. We'd uhh… we're happy for you to be here." I said.

"Plus," My sister interjected. "You're kinda already here."

"She has a point, you know." A gruff voice behind us said.

I whipped around. "Uncle Qrow?!" I exclaimed, shocked. "H- how long've you been here?"

"Five minutes." Ruby and Blake said, almost in unison.

"Ya know, sis, we _really_ need to work on your situational awareness…"

"Whatever…" I sighed. "So, uhh… what're you doing here, Qrow?"

"What? I can't spend a little time with whatever's left of our family?" He said, sarcastically. "Also, I wanna see Tai's reaction to Ruby." He paused for a moment. "By the way, why'd you all wear your armor?"

I shrugged. "Well, it's the easiest way to transport it to be honest… Also, Ruby was bringing hers, so I figured 'why not?'." I said as we approached the clearing our house was in.

"Is this it?" Blake asked. I was just about to give my affirmations when, suddenly, a corgi bolted out from behind the building. "GAH!" She exclaimed as she frantically leaped up a tree.

The three of us looked at each other before my sister and I burst out laughing, though Qrow was confused. "Afraid of dogs, kiddo?" He commented.

She shifted nervously in her tree as the dog happily barked at my feet. "Please keep it away from my belongings."

I reached down to pet the creature. "Don't be scared, he's uhh… he's friendly!"

"Zwei! Come here, boy!" I heard my father shout in the distance. "Zwei! Where are-" He rounded the corner. "-you…" He strode up to us. "Umm, hey there, Qrow. Kinda… unexpected of you to show up, and with a couple friends…" He turned to Ruby and I. "And you are…?"

With a smirk, I depolarized my visor. "Hey dad."

He jumped back slightly. "Well then, I didn't expect you to come home wearing armor." He grinned awkwardly and extended his hand towards Ruby. "Taiyang Xiao Long, Yang's dad. I'm guessing your one of her teammates?"

She nodded and shook his hand. At her silence, I spoke up. "C'mon, don't make him wait, sis."

He raised an eyebrow. "Wait, sis?" We both heard the snap-hiss of her helmet depressurizing. His eyes widened and his mouth opened, but no words came out.

"Heh, Tai dot exe has stopped working." My sister joked…

…shortly before our dad fainted.

We all looked at each other before Qrow burst out laughing. "Alright, Tai, let's get cha inside." He picked up his former teammate in a bridal carry before turning to me. "Show your friends where they'll be staying, I'll deal with him."

I nodded in understanding as he strode inside the house. "Alright, Blake, you can come out now." She leaped from her perch shortly before jumping onto, and leaping off of, my sister; her eyes locked onto Zwei the entire time.

I lead my teammates into the house and had just started up the stairs when I realized Ruby wasn't following me. "Hey, uhh… Rubes? What's-" I paused as I realized she was looking at a picture of her mother. "…Oh… Take as long as you need."

"My mom was a Faunus?" She suddenly asked.

Blake suddenly perked up, but I answered instead. "Yeah, you didn't know that?"

"No! I've only seen one other picture of her; and she has her hood up in it. If my mom was a Faunus, why don't I have her cat ears? Or a tail, or something…"

"Well…" Blake started. "One in every five-thousand children born of a mixed-race couple will actually be Human." She paused. "So cases like yours, while rare, are not unheard of."

She blinked. "Huh, well… I guess ya learn somethin' new every day."

"Maybe this is why you hate racists so much?" Blake questioned.

"Nope." She said, popping the 'P'. "Two reasons, really. One: I've seen what it did to the Human race in the past." We both shivered involuntarily, remembering her description of _monsters_ like Adolf Hitler. "Two: I've actually been a victim of it in the past…" She said a little sheepishly.

"What?" Blake questioned. "But… you're Human…"

She shrugged. "Some Marines just don't like us Spartans. They think we're nothing more than emotionless machines that ONI cooked up." She paused. "Funny that they drop the issue the _second_ covvies show up."

"Well, for what its worth… I'm sorry you had to go through that."

She gave my partner a smile. "It's alright, it's in the past." She paused. "Well, let's get unpacked. Time's a wastin'!"

"Hey!" We heard my uncle call. "Ruby! Come here!" She shrugged before heading into the living room.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

"Yeah, birdman?" I asked as I strode into the living room.

"R- Ruby…?" My father stuttered out as he sat up on the couch. His eyes locked onto mine. "Is… Is that really you?"

"Yep!" I said, popping the 'P'. "I'm back, dad."

He paused for a moment. "How?! Where have you been this entire time?! And where did you get that armor?!"

"Hmm, let's see… I don't know, off-world, and classified." I rattled off.

He blinked before getting up and enveloping me in a hug. "It doesn't matter, you're here now." He pulled away and gave me a sad smile. "I'm just glad you're back, Little Rose."

I smirked. "Heh, not so little anymore, dad."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. What the hell have you been eating, by the way? Like, seriously, your mom was like five-foot-two! And here you are, taller than me!"

"Heh, again, classified." I said with a smirk. "Though the armor does make me a bit taller." I leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I'm actually only six-foot-four." He pulled back and I giggled at his incredulous look. "And I was the _short_ one."

"Gods! Just how _tall_ were these people?!"

"Hmm, well, Jorge was seven-four without his armor." I said, my grin dropping for a second as I remembered his fate. "So, uhh, I can't really tell you what I've been up to… Spooks'll have my head. Buuuut what's been goin' on here?"

Qrow raised an eyebrow as Tai answered. "Well, not much, to be honest. Oh, well, I guess you could say that Mountain Glenn doesn't exist anymore… But things have been quiet, all things considered."

"Oh yeah, I read about that in my history class. It was supposed to be an expansion to Vale, right?"

"Yep," Qrow interjected. "supposed to be a safe place for three million people to live and work… Good thing only a couple hundred thousand were living there when it fell…"

Tai crossed his arms. "That's _still_ a couple hundred thousand lives lost, Qrow."

"He's got a point, uncle." I said. "While you're right that its not as bad as it could have been, that was still a horrendous loss of life."

"Not sayin' it wasn't." He huffed before pulling out a flask. "Anyways, I think you two have some catching up to do… And I'm gonna find out what the inside of this thing looks like." He said, shaking the offending item as he strode out of the room.

We stood in awkward silence for a minute before he spoke up. "Sooo, uhh, how long've you been back?"

"Well, I landed about a week before the semester started… soooo… about four or five months now."

He blinked. "And you didn't think to call me? Maybe let me know you were alive?"

"I did, but I figured that this was better left to be a face-to-face meeting. Also, who's to say you'd've believed me if I called you?"

"Point…" He sighed before suddenly perking up again. "I just remembered something." He strode over to a weathered looking trunk in the corner of the room. "Your uhh… Your mom wanted you to have this when you were older." He said, producing a red cloak. "She made it specifically for you, said every Rose has had one and that it works with your semblance."

I blinked before taking it. "How could she know about my semblance? _I_ didn't even know about it until…" I trailed off. Flashes of Operation: TORPEDO flashed through my mind.

After an unknown amount of time, I was awoken from my pseudo slumber by my father shaking me. "Ruby! Ruby! Can you hear me?!"

I blinked. "Uhh… Yeah… I'm fine." I said in a rather unconvincing tone.

"Are you sure? You were shaking." He looked me in the eye. "Ruby, are you alright?"

"Yes. Just some… bad memories is all." I sighed. "Anyways, what does this thing have to do with my semblance?"

"Oh, umm… She said that every Rose before her has had a semblance that somehow related to rose petals. Cloaks like this one have the ability to latch onto them. It's kinda like a battery, but for your semblance specifically."

I hummed. "Well, that's kinda handy."

He chuckled. "Yeah, tell me about it. By the way, what _is_ your semblance?"

"Hmm? Oh, I can burst into rose petals and move super-fast!" I said as I demonstrated…

…leaving a trail all over the room… "Hehe, sorry…"

He only smiled. "Don't worry about it. If they're anything like your mom's, they'll disappear in like, an hour or so."

"Huh. Y'know, I always wondered what happened to 'em. Guess I just never stuck around to find out…" I paused. "So… If you don't mind me asking… what _was_ mom's?"

"Its okay. Hers was she could make solid objects out of her _white_ rose petals. Came in kinda handy when you're fighting a giant nevermore." He sighed. "But she usually just made loads of weapons with it."

"That sounds… _extremely_ useful." I commented before sighing. "But, anyways… I should probably go unpack now… See ya later."

"Actually, I was wondering something." I paused mid-stride and turned around with a hum. "Well, since _both_ my daughters came home, I was kinda wondering if you'd like to go on a camping trip while you're here."

I smiled. "Sure thing, dad." I said as I climbed the stairs.

* * *

We stared at each other intently for several minutes, each trying to guess what the other was plotting. I remained as impassive as Blake, while both Yang and Tai were trying to suppress grins. We had already been home for a week now, and everyone was starting to get comfortable with each other, though Blake still kept to herself. Suddenly, my sister shot out of her seat and thrust a finger at me. "Ruby Rose, prepare your kingdom for battle!"

"Your funeral, sis." I replied with a smirk.

She slams a card down on the table, knocking over one of Blake's pieces and receiving a glare. "Hehe… sorry…" She fixes it. "Anyways, ANCIENT DEATHSTALKER!" She shouts. "If I roll a seven or higher, your pitiful AK-85s will melt before my forces!"

"Heh, you _do_ realize that you have to roll a d8, right? That's like… a 20% success rate…"

"25, actually." Blake chimes in.

"Still, I don't fancy your chances." A look of determination spreads across her face as the die leaves her hand… …only to vanish as she rolls a natural one… "Aaaaand there goes your motorized infantry…"

"Bah!"

"Now, the Kingdom of Vale will fall before the might of Atlas!" I shouted as I threw down a card. "I command my Beowolves to board your airfleet!"

"What?! You can't do that!" She shouts.

"Where does it say I can't?" I asked, smugly.

"Gah! I'll find _some_ reason you can't…" She says as she rummages around in the box for a minute before sighing. "Daaaad, where's the rulebook?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, we haven't needed it in a long time. Here, I'll look it up quick." He pulled out his scroll and started typing. "Uhh, what?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"I don't have a signal… Weird…" He paused in thought. "That's not right, Patch has always had great signal."

Just then, my suit's long-range radio picked up a signal and beamed it to my neural implant. "This is Weiss Schnee to any and all UNSC forces. Winter Contingency. I repeat, Winter Contingency, Atlas. How copy?"

I paled as I pressed my finger to my ear, keying my mic. "Repeat your last. Did you say Winter Contingency?" Both Blake and Yang immediately stopped whatever they were doing and stared at me.

"Correct." She said with no small amount of sorrow. "They're here, Ruby."

"…May god help us all…" I paused. "We're en route. ETA whenever the fuck we get there. Stay alive, Ice Queen."

"Just get here, Oaf." She said as the connection cut out.

I turned to everyone. "Alright everyone, Winter Contingency has been declared. Suit up, Helljumpers, we're goin' to Atlas." They ran off to get their armors as I burst into rose petals, reforming into my own suit. I turned to my father who had the single most confused look on his face ever. "Alright, a lot of shit has now been declassified as a matter of global security. I'm a Spartan-III commando with the United Nations Space Command, and the enemy that is hell-bent on our extermination as a species has come to Remnant. We're gonna go steal ourselves a bullhead and save as many lives as possible. Grab whatever gear you need, we leave ASAP."

* * *

(A/N) Well… Shit has officially hit the fan for Remnant… Also, I have come up with a name for every capital ship (by Remnant standards) that will be participating in the coming battle… soooo there's that…

For clarification, the docks incident at the end of cannon volume one actually didn't happen in this timeline. Mainly because Team RWBY came in and started breaking all the WF's toys.

 **/- IMPORTANT -\**

Well, I kinda have some bad news for everyone… Ruby B-312 will be going on hiatus for a bit… But not before this arc, and also the rest of V1, is finished… which will be in two or three chapters, depending on how things go. This isn't me losing interest in the story, far from it, actually. Instead, its because I have gone _so_ far off the rails of the cannon show that I can't really use its timeline anymore. Thus, I can't really just fly the story by the seat of my pants like I have been doing. If all goes well, chapter fourteen or fifteen (again, depends on how the next few chapters go) will be published in late December or early January. This doesn't mean that I'll just be doing nothing over the hiatus, though. If everything goes according to plan, I'll put up another story at the same time as the last chapter of this one before the hiatus.

 **\\- IMPORTANT -/**

Some interesting tidbits about Summer Rose this chapter. And for those that say Ruby should be a faunus because of her mother's heritage, I shall point you to the World of Remnant on faunus, where Qrow says something along the lines of a human + a faunus _typically_ means the kid is also a faunus. I'd say that 4999 in every 5000 (or 99.98%) is good enough to be considered a _typical_ result. Fun fact: I wanted to make Summer a Wolf faunus, buuut there's _no_ way those ears were gonna hide under a cloak… Also, that would make her the third wolf faunus in the story. (Random hobo in ch7, Selini, and then Summer). For those that missed it, she's a cat faunus.

On to the Reviews!

TheFishKing – I do, actually. Whenever you see a /-\ symbol in between two line breaks, it means the POV is switching.

Dragon lord Syed 101 – I haven't decided if she's bi or just gay, but yea, fun times are indeed ahead.

osterreicher97 – Salem currently doesn't know about Ruby, yet… But Cinder does. And little ole glassy is just a tiny bit **fucking pissed off** at Ruby… though she doesn't know its Ruby specifically… The reason why Adam lost so horribly is because he A) didn't know how to fight a Spartan. And B) _Severely_ underestimated Ruby's capabilities. All in all, he's lucky to still have four functioning limbs.

SenorGorilla – Thanks! And with the timeline, now's as good a place as any to say how it works. I have decided that time does not flow linearly between the RWBYverse and the Halo Universe. Meaning that it could, theoretically, still be seconds after Ruby left, from their point of view, or it could be thousands of years in the future, or anywhere in between, really… But the date she arrived on Remnant (by their calendar) was Sunday October 24th, 1581 PE (Post Establishment). I think I stated the date at the end of the last chapter, but I'll say the current one again. It is now Thursday March 10th, 1582 PE. Meaning she has now been home for around four and a half months. Concerning the second review, this is the _actual_ Covenant. Not the Storm that we see in Halo 4/5 or the Banished of Halo Wars 2. These guys are the real deal coming straight from Reach.

raw666 – Oh, yea. Adam is _**PISSED**_ that he got beat… Though idk if he'll fall into an obsession or if he'll stay somewhat rational. The villain's reactions are the main reason this story will be going into hiatus soon, as I need some time to think their plans through. Also, can't have Adam dying so soon in the story, now can we?

Shadow Walker of Fire – Thanks! Actually, it wasn't her mom she shouted at. It was just a random raven… But who says her mom wasn't watching while doing the bird-equivalent of laughing her ass off? Place an M45 by my feet!

Guest 01 – Yep, he's ever so slightly _**BOILING WITH RAGE.**_ And he hasn't been told because Ruby wanted it to be a face-to-face encounter.

DRMAK – Thanks! And you'll probably get to see her use it in the next arc. The only reason why she didn't keep Melodic Cudgel when she beat Roman in ch1 is because the police wouldn't let her keep it.

spartan-140 – Possibly. Because of the aforementioned non-linear timeline, I have no idea what's going on in the Halo Universe atm.

psp reader – And thank you!

seraphimnight – Thanks! And I've gotta throw in a fun little curve-ball every once in a while. Keeps things interesting.

Guest 002 – Yea, she's kinda OP at the moment. While I have stated that her power level is roughly equal to that of a half-maiden, she's capable of _much_ more due to _what_ she is. I try to take into account as many things about a character as possible when they fight, such as Adam's ignorance and overconfidence during the last one… leading to his curb-stomp and the loss of Wilt and Blush. Even so, she'd have an _extremely_ difficult time going against a full-maiden or even Ozpin, let alone someone like Salem. Or course, that may change if she were to learn how to use her eyes… Also, I may have laughed _way_ harder at that last comment than I'd care to admit.

– Okay, I'll take that as a complement… soooo thanks!

Lucian Cardell – Glad to see you're enjoying it!

And that's it for this chapter. The next one up will be chapter twelve, 'Winter Contingency'. See everyone then!


	12. Winter Contingency

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 4/28/19

* * *

Chapter Twelve – Winter Contingency

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Atlas /-\

* * *

I smiled as I slurped my strawberry shake. "I think this was a wonderful idea, Winter. Between your occupation and my studies, we don't get to spend much time together." I said as we walked down the bustling streets of Atlas. Instead of the narrow streets, wide sidewalks, and a mix of building styles that dominated Vale, my home kingdom of Atlas was basically its polar opposite. Wide streets, narrow, if any, sidewalks, and towering glass-lined skyscrapers dominated the city.

"On that we can agree, sister." She said, a trace of a smile on her face. "However, might I ask where you acquired the taste for such…" She paused, likely searching for the right word. "… _unhealthy_ foods?"

I shrugged. "It must have been during my tenure at Beacon." A smirk played at my lips. "Oh, you should have seen how _Ruby_ reacted when she first tried these."

"You seem to talk about her quite often." She struggled to keep a full-blown smile off her face. "I am happy that you finally made a friend."

I let out a sigh. "Well, I'm sure you know how hard it can be bearing our name…"

"That I do." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "And I am glad you came to the same realization that I did at your age."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"That, while rare, there are those in this world that do _not_ wish to befriend us merely because of our heritage."

I tossed my, now empty, strawberry shake into a nearby trashcan. "Yes." I nodded. "While you are correct that many do wish to befriend us to further their own ends, I'm glad I was assigned a team in which none of its members share that particular motivation."

"Then count yourself lucky, sister." She sighed. "For I was not so lucky during my tenure at Atlas Academy." A smile played at her lips. "Though Bernstein _did_ become the team's…" She trailed off.

"…Punching bag?" I supplied with a smirk.

"Why, sister!" She said, feigning offense. "How _uncouth_ of you to suggest something of that nature!"

We shared a slight giggle before I forcibly brought up my hand to block the sun's blinding reflection from a skyscraper. "Ugh, I forgot how much I hate the day/night cycle here." I said.

"Well," She started. "count yourself lucky you missed the winter, then."

I nodded. "Yes, it was quite nice to have at least _some_ sun in January."

"Also, sunset here is only an hour or so ahead of Vale's."

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, but _Vale_ doesn't have glass buildings everywhere with which the sun may reflect." I said before entering a weapon shop. I raised an eyebrow. "What are we doing here?"

"I have found the skills of my company's quartermaster to be… _lacking…_ Therefore, I take my weapons here to have them maintained. Mister Smith does excellent work in my honest opinion."

Just then, a dark-skinned man wearing blacksmith's apparel comes out of the back. "Welcome to Smith's Ste- Oh! Miss Schnee! I'll be right back with your weapons!" He said before ducking back into the rear of the store. Seconds later, he returned with both my sister's saber and her stiletto. "Here you are, ma'am! I'll send the bill to the military, as per usual. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

She took a few experimental swings of both weapons before nodding. "Excellent work, as usual. No, I believe that is all I require at this time. Thank you for your services."

He grinned. "Always a pleasure, Miss Schnee. Have a wonderful day!"

"Alright, where to next, sister?" I asked as we passed an alley adjacent to the shop.

"YOU!" We heard a vaguely feminine voice shout from the alley.

Normally, I would have simply passed by her, but something urged me to stay. I raised an eyebrow. "Are you aware of who you are speaking to?" The woman before us was old, had to be in her late nineties. The clothes she wore were barely better than rags, and her hair was long, greasy, and ratty.

She violently coughed. "Oh? Am I aware? Oh, yesyesyes, dear Imp! Aware, I very much am."

I blinked. "Imp?"

"Yes, an Imp indeed… Too small, too weak, to be a demon… nonono… Yet… too strong, too willful, to be a mere flat-face…"

My sister took a step forward. "And just what, may I inquire, are you implying?"

At this, the raggedy woman blinked her cloudy, likely blind, eyes. "Oh? The sister of the Imp approaches her… hehehehehe… how quaint…" She broke into another coughing fit. "Matters beyond you, our conversation concerns, snow of the winter…" She turned her head back to me. " _You, s_ now of the white! You must bring _her_ here. The demon!"

I blinked, just now figuring out that she was referring to my team's leader. "And _why_ would I do that?"

"Oh? Why, she asks? Little one, cannot you _see?_ For _they_ are coming." She paused long enough to let out another cough. "An errant bolt of blue. A tear in reality itself! But this one was not like the others around it… nonono… Wrong, it was… Broken… Dimensions didn't it cross, as intended, instead, Universes!"

"You're not making any sense!" My sister shouted. "I have had enough of this inane conversation. You will now accompany me to a mental health facility." She commanded as she started walking towards the woman.

"Winter!" I shouted, halting her in her tracks. "Let her speak."

"Good! Good! Perhaps the Imp will listen!" Yet another violent coughing fit. " _Greenisle, Odinsdottir, Devil's Hand, Road Paved With Red._ " She paused. "Cornered. Animals being slaughtered. They fled their doom above Reach. But not guess were followed! Nonono, never guess..." She let out yet another coughing fit. "Followed by the hunters were they! Hunters faster than their prey… Time has gone… You will need this!" She produced a revolver, though at first glance, there was nothing special about it.

"How do you know this?"

"Ohoho, 'tis my semblance, little Imp. Sight of the many futures that await us! This one _always_ happens, my Imp. Snowfall is upon us!" She broke into yet another coughing fit, and I saw blood spill from her mouth… …shortly before she collapsed.

Winter ran over to her and checked her pulse. She froze on the spot. "She… She's dead…"

I stood there in shock. "H- How did she know those words…?" I said, shakily.

"Sister, she was a madwoman. Her words held no meaning whatsoever."

"To you…" I mumbled. Winter raised an eyebrow. "I just hope she's wrong…"

She blinked. "It is as I said, her words were meaningless."

I hummed. "I _really_ want to believe that, Winter… But something's telling me they weren't." 'Like how she knew about slipspace ruptures, or Reach…' I sighed. "I should at least call Ruby and give her an update."

"If you must." She said as I pulled out my scroll.

"Huh?" I let out. "No signal?"

I looked over to my sister, who had raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps your scroll is broken? If this call is so important to you, use mine." She says as she hands it to me.

I once more try to reach my leader, only to groan in frustration. "Ugh! Yours has the same problem!"

She blinked. "That… can't be right… We're not even a mile from the tower!"

I paled, suddenly remembering something. "Slipspace ruptures emit EMP…" I mumbled.

"What was that?"

I rushed and picked up the pistol the now-deceased woman offered me. "Winter, we _need_ to get back to the mansion!"

"Weiss, surely you're-"

"Not another word, sister!" I shouted. " _We_ are leaving. _**Now.**_ " I said shortly before turning to run for the house.

I heard my sister mumble something before running after me, the clicking of her high heels growing closer every second. "Weiss! What is wrong?!" She shouted, concern evident in her voice. I heard the telltale ring of a glyph being activated and seconds later, my sister was in front of me, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Weiss! What has gotten into you?!"

"I can't tell you!" I shouted. "You won't believe me!"

"Sister. Tell me what's wrong!"

"I-" I heard a whistling sound coming from the sky. Looking up, I saw a swarm of purple dots descending from the heavens. My eyes widened. "Winter…" I paused. "I just want you to know… that I love you…"

She blinked. "Weiss, what has-" She was interrupted by a thump coming from behind her. A thump caused by a Covenant single-occupant drop pod.

I shoved my sister aside and drew my pistol just as the hatch flew off, revealing an Elite Minor. I sent off a round into the beast, and its shields flared. It growled and drew a plasma rifle, loosing a volley of plasma my way. I dodged easily with a roll before shooting once more, and I saw its shields crack under the strain. It let out a roar, and I charged forward with a trail of speed glyphs. Just as it had raised its weapon, I shoved the barrel of my revolver into its mouth and pulled the trigger, splattering purple blood across both the drop pod and also my left arm.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as the body fell to the ground, lifeless. I felt a force on my shoulder moments before being spun around, coming face-to-face with my sister. " _What_ have you done, sister?" She basically growled out.

I pulled away from her and motioned to the many observers around us. "Saved _their_ lives." I kicked the remains of my enemy. "Look at it. See its armor? Its weapon? This is _not_ a race that came to Remnant in peace. My leader has fought their kind before, and _every_ Human world they come across, they simply _burn_." I swiped a pair of plasma grenades from its corpse, putting them in a handbag I had brought for my shopping trip. "That is the purpose of these things. The complete and utter annihilation of Humanity." I grabbed its claw-shaped plasma rifle. "I don't know about you, sister, but I will _not_ stand idly by while my home burns." As if to accentuate my point, the sounds of both plasma fire and dust-based firearms sounded in the distance.

She glared at me for a moment before sighing. "Regardless of if your actions caused this or not, it is my duty to protect the people."

I nodded. "We need to get to my armor. It's the only way to contact my team… and if anyone can lead us to victory, its Ruby."

I turned and started jogging towards the mansion, knowing that public transportation was not only unsafe, but likely about to be outright destroyed. Winter ran after me. "Experience is good, but what can a single person do against an invasion?"

I turned my head to her and smirked. "Well, they didn't give her the title of 'Hyper Lethal Vector' for no reason…" Suddenly, I heard the familiar whirring of Covenant aircraft as they approached. "Phantom inbound!" I announced as I dove into cover.

My sister quickly joined me as the dropship descended and disgorged its troops. 'Three shots,' I thought. 'I need to make them count.' I eyed the opposing infantry. One Elite Minor, three Grunts, and two Jackals. I turned to my sister. "I'll draw their fire, you go around and hit their flank. Prioritize the Elite." She raised an eyebrow. "The split-jawed one." She nodded and I sprinted out from cover, firing a round into the exposed head of a Jackal, killing it.

The others immediately turned their attention to me, a swarm of needles and plasma hurling my way. I deftly dodged with a combination of speed and barrier glyphs, but one glob of green plasma struck home, and I yelled in pain.

I dove behind a wrecked car, but not before I caught a glimpse of a snow-white Beowolf ripping the Elite to shreds. The second the hailstorm of fire stopped, I sprinted out of cover, unleashing my own hail of plasma into the backs of the remaining Jackals. Seconds later, the last Grunt died with my sister's saber through its chest.

She sprinted over to me. "Are you alright?!" She practically yelled, her voice oozing with concern. "I saw you get hit."

"Yeah… I'll be fine…" I checked my aura. "87%... those things pack a punch…" I swapped out my used plasma rifle for the nearly-fully charged one dropped by the Elite. "Let's get goi- AHH!" I yelled as a needle round pinged off my aura. "SNIPER!"

I spun around, revealing a single Skirmisher standing inside a skyscraper a few stories up. I spawned a propulsion glyph -the weaker form of a repulsion glyph that doesn't use dust- under the creature, sending it flying towards me. "Winter!" I yelled, attempting to signal her.

Thankfully, she got the message, and seconds later, her sword cleaved the alien in two. I holstered my revolver and handed the plasma rifle to my sister. "Here, you need a ranged weapon."

She blinked before hesitantly accepting the alien device. "Very well, I will humor you."

I sighed. "Winter, there are some creatures that will overpower you in an instant if engaged in melee, even accounting for aura." I said while jogging alongside the skyscrapers, being sure to check for snipers.

"I hardly believe that, sister." She spouted. "Those… _Elites,_ as you called them, are already far too large and unwieldy. Any form of life larger than them would certainly-"

 **-Fwooooom-**

My eyes widened. "DOWN!" I shouted as I dove atop my sister and tackled her to the ground… …just in time to dodge a pair of green plasma beams. I followed their trail to their source as an explosion sounded behind me. Looking up, I saw an entire Covenant armored column, spearheaded by a pair of Hunters. I grabbed my sister, activated a propulsion glyph under us, and took off; ducking us behind a building and narrowly avoiding the plasma splash from a Wraith. "They're headed right for the mansion!" I shouted. "Any ideas on how to deal with them?" I asked my sister.

She hummed. "Perhaps we-" Suddenly, we heard loud thumping and the charging of what sounded like an energy weapon. I looked towards the source and saw a duo of large, gunmetal grey walkers, each bearing the Atlesian seal. My sister shrugged. "That is also an option."

I ducked out from behind cover, lining up a shot on the frontmost Wraith's gunner, before loosing a single needle round. The Unggoy slumped over, dead, just as the two walkers rounded their corner. I ducked back behind cover and turned to my sister. "We can duck through these buildings and flank them. That plasma rifle works exceptionally well against energy shields, focus fire on the Elites until their shields pop, I'll finish them off."

She nodded, and we ducked into the building, the sounds of the two armored forces clashing sounding throughout the halls. Inside, I came across the body of a civilian. His lifeless eyes were wide, with one hand clutching a plasma burn on his chest and the other hanging onto a knife stained in the blue blood of a nearby Grunt.

I knelt down to close his eyes, accidentally disturbing his hand and flipping over a photograph. My face fell as I saw its contents. It was of the man and a pregnant woman both sitting on opposite sides of a young girl. This man had a family…

…and the Covenant had taken him from them…

My face twisted into a snarl as I closed his eyes and pried the knife from his lifeless hands. The sound of plasma fire snapped me out of my anger and drew me towards a window, my sister in tow. Outside, I saw an Elite Ultra crouched behind cover, his back turned to me. Positioned ahead of him was the armored column, still engaging the walkers, though both sides had taken a beating. One of the walkers laid against a Wraith, both painted in orange blood and both smoldering wrecks. The other was missing an arm, though the cannon mounted on its opposite was still blazing away at the two remaining tanks.

I turned to Winter before whispering in her ear. "Have a Deathstalker ready, the walkers need backup." I silently crawled out the window, my knife held at . Just as the beast was about to poke its head up above cover, I jammed my knife into its exposed neck, killing it instantly. "Now!"

A large summoning glyph appeared behind the rearmost Wraith as I drew the needle rifle, headshotting a Grunt as it aimed a fuel rod gun at the last walker. I saw the Deathstalker start to climb out of the glyph, though a Wraith had taken a particular attention to it. I narrowed my eyes before activating a road of speed glyphs, propelling me right behind the tank. Taking a page out of Ruby's book, I climbed aboard the rear of the vehicle and planted a plasma grenade directly into its exhaust before leaping behind a destroyed car.

Plasma washed over my position just as the tank exploded, sending flaming shrapnel flying into my cover with several loud pings. I looked over to see Winter's Deathstalker finally finish spawning before letting out a loud screech. It charged forward, impaling the last Wraith upon its stinger several times.

With the plasma fire now solely focused on the beast, I popped out of cover and started shooting at the remaining Covenant infantry, occasionally hunkering down to slam a new magazine into my needle rifle.

Finally, the last Grunt dropped, and I approached my sister, who was examining the corpses of the aliens we had engaged. "Are you alright?"

She gave me a half-hearted smile. "I should be asking you that, sister." She sighed. "But yes, you?"

I nodded. "I managed to not take any hits there." The Deathstalker dissipated in a flurry of snowflakes in front of us.

A loud thumping caught our attention, and my sister straightened her posture. "Identify yourself."

"Gunnery Sergeant Grunwald, 1st Paladin division."

My sister nodded. "Lieutenant-Colonel Schnee, 4th Specialist Corps."

He immediately made his walker do a salute with its remaining, left, arm. "Ma'am!"

"At ease." She ordered, the walker dropped its arm. "We are headed to Schnee Manor, mind if we hitch a ride?"

"Not at all, Ma'am. Though I must warn you, this model of Paladin was not built to carry troops. You might have some difficulty holding on."

"Irrelevant, just take us to the manor."

"Yes Ma'am." He replied, turning around so that we may mount the walker. Both my sister and I climbed up its back and sat atop its cold, metal, shoulders.

A minute later, we arrived at the courtyard of our mansion. We dismounted and were addressed by its occupant. "Here you are, Ma'am, I must take my leave now. There's civilians out there that likely could use a little assistance."

She nodded. "Understood, dismissed, Gunnery Sergeant." She said shortly before the behemoth strode away.

I turned back to the city and saw a force of three Covenant corvettes accompanying two destroyers descending from the clouds. In the distance, the Royal Atlesian Navy were mustering a response. Fourteen destroyers, ten cruisers of various weights, four dreadnoughts, one battlecarrier, and over a hundred fighters. The Royal Atlesian Home Defense Fleet.

The dreadnoughts, all of them being of the new Aurora-class, formed up on the flanks of the RANV Sovereign, the lead ship of the newest line of battlecarrier. The two Resolute-class Line-cruisers formed up on their flanks, whereas the eight lighter Mantle-class Strike-cruisers formed into two separate 'wolf packs' further away. All the destroyers were seen hovering into position around the three flotillas.

The Covenant deployed their two destroyers side-by-side, with the three corvettes in a V-shaped formation positioned slightly behind the larger ships.

Swarms of missiles erupted from every Atlesian dreadnought, being answered by plasma torpedoes launched from the pair of destroyers. However, the Covenant salvo was not aimed for the center formation. It instead, veered to the south, straight towards one of the wolf packs. Point defense lasers on the entirety of that flotilla blazed, red streaks piercing the sky. Some struck home, though they passed straight through their targets, doing no damage.

The cruisers took evasive action, though it was too little, too late. Seven out of the dozen torpedoes struck home, with the remaining five veering off and embedding themselves in a destroyer each.

A moment passed, and in that moment, it looked like the cruisers would shake off the damage inflicted. However, _after_ that moment had passed, flames burst out of every orifice, both built-in and not, of the cruisers. They plummeted to the ground, lost with all hands.

Meanwhile, the missiles had finally reached half-way to their targets…

…only to be cut down by a laser-based point defense grid. None of the missiles reached their intended targets.

A blinding red light erupted from the bows of the four dreadnoughts at the exact same time the remainder of the two wolf packs hit their afterburners, charging around the enemy ships in an attempt to flank them, the fighters sticking close to their carriers. One shot went wide, bisecting a skyscraper in the distance. Two shots impacted the leftmost destroyer, shattering its shields and grazing one of the aft pylons, sending blue flames screaming throughout the air. The fourth, and final, shot impacted the rightmost destroyer, its shields barely clinging to life as newly-vaporized gasses jetted away from the path the laser took.

The formation of Corvettes emerged from their protection behind the destroyers and charged headlong into the remaining Atlesian wolf pack, loosing pulse-laser fire as they went in order to thin out the fighters.

The Sovereign's formation charged head-on, both the battlecarrier's and the dreadnoughts' medium-yield weapons still out of range…

…though that didn't seem to be a problem for the enemy destroyers. Globs of hot plasma erupted from several spines along the crafts, striking the Sovereign in the port-side wing stabilizers, causing it to dangerously list and forcing it to withdraw. Other stray shots impacted the two line-cruisers, sealing their explosive fates. Seeing the damage that those weapons could do, the four dreadnoughts split up not only in lateral direction, but also _vertical_ direction as well.

The Atlesian wolf pack was finally within range of their weapons and executed a high-g turn, placing the corvettes well-within the firing arcs of the flotilla's broadsides. It seems that they all had the same target in mind, because after a few seconds, the entire front section of the lead ship was reduced to a molten slag.

As the former corvette plummeted to the ground, its friends mimicked the cruiser's movements, orienting their broadsides towards the Atlesian forces. Meanwhile, scorching gasses were vented from the cruisers, desperately trying to cool their weapons for another salvo.

The cruiser's destroyer escort broke off from the main force and charged headlong at the enemy corvettes, likely in a near-suicidal torpedo run. However, the corvette's completed their turn before any shots could be fired, and promptly let loose several volleys of plasma. Two cruisers outright exploded, one was split right down the middle, and the last was routed after one of its stabilizers was clipped.

Finally, the Atlesian destroyers reached their firing range and dropped their payloads. Almost two dozen torpedoes streaked towards the duo of corvettes, soon to be joined by the destroyer's own, albeit low-intensity, laser weapons. Purple point-defense lasers stained the sky, shooting down the Atlesian weapons left and right. However, one managed to sneak through…

…and promptly detonated in the alien hangar.

The corvette broke in two, the two massive pieces falling onto the snowy plains just outside the city walls. Seconds later, however, and the remaining corvette had finished off the Atlesian destroyers, their hulks coming to rest alongside their final kill. However, the corvette was not unharmed, as it was bellowing blue flames from most of the side that had been facing the Atlesians.

Back with the four dreadnoughts, they had finally entered the outskirts of their mid-tier weapons range. They all executed the same maneuver that the wolf pack had before them…

…shortly before a blinding blue light erupted from the top of the destroyers, bisecting two dreadnoughts before they even had a chance to react.

By this time, the bottom two had finished their maneuver, and loosed a deadly broadside at the weakened leftmost destroyer. Its shields already depleted, it was obvious that heavy damage had been caused to the ship, as it was bellowing blue flames just like the remaining corvette.

Just when things were looking slightly up, the same blue light that bisected the upper fleet also hit the lower one, though it was only one beam this time. Now all that remained of the Atlesian fleet was a single dreadnought.

It immediately turned and headed outside of range at emergency speed, completely disregarding any and all other functions. Though it seems that the ship was not quite done fighting just yet, as on its way out, it loosed another salvo of missiles.

Though vastly inferior in numbers compared to the volley at the beginning of the battle, this one was _far_ more successful; owing to the fact that most of the point-defense lasers on the destroyer were disabled by this point.

Almost all the missiles struck home, and, seconds later, the destroyer erupted in blue flames and plummeted to the ground. Likely on the edge of its effective range, the remaining destroyer loosed a salvo of plasma. Most were dodged, but some impacted, causing heavy, but survivable, damage to the last Atlesian ship on the board.

This battle was over… And it was exceedingly clear that we had lost.

I looked over to my sister, whose face adorned a look of complete and utter horror. "Do you see now?" I said. "Do you see why we need every advantage we can get?"

"Weiss, I-"

"No." I said. "You had no way of knowing." I sighed. "I need my armor, and _we_ need Ruby." She shakily nodded as we sprinted into the mansion, headed straight for my room. Being in a hurry, I donned my armor in record time, four minutes forty-four seconds, to be exact.

I keyed my mic. "This is Weiss Schnee to any and all UNSC forces. Winter Contingency. I repeat, Winter Contingency, Atlas. How copy?"

A second passed, then another, before Ruby's voice finally echoed over the comms. "Repeat your last. Did you say Winter Contingency?"

"Correct." I said, sorrow dripping from my voice. "They're here, Ruby."

"…May god help us all…" She paused. "We're en route. ETA whenever the fuck we get there. Stay alive, Ice Queen."

"Just get here, Oaf." I said as I severed the connection. I checked my weapons, noting Myrtenaster on my left hip, the revolver on my right, the needle rifle on my back, and my BR55 in my hands. I turned to my sister as I polarized my visor. "We need to gather a resistance force, what's the quickest way to Atlas Academy?"

She paused in thought. "Follow me." She said as we sprinted down the halls, eventually arriving at my father's study. She ran up to the bookcase and pulled a specific book before the whole wall opened up. "Down here." She said, leading the way. "They built this passageway last year, when Father began to fear a White Fang raid on our home."

"…Why didn't he tell me about it?" I asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Because you were meant to buy him time to escape." She said, her voice dripping with venom. " _I_ only know because General Ironwood told me. I'm sure _Jacques_ had the same thing in mind for me." She said as we climbed into an elevator.

"That _bastard_." I growled.

My sister put her hand on my shoulder. "I know." She sighed. "I may or may not be having the same thoughts at the moment."

Just then, the elevator dinged, giving us the sight of our father next to our brother beside a tram. We both blinked. "Whitley?!" We shouted in unison.

Winter recovered first and marched over to our father. "Why did you tell _him_ about this but not us, _father_." She growled in his face. "Do you not love us?! Your own flesh and blood?!"

Jacques straightened his suit and gave a wry smile. "Winter, I was not aware you had retu-"

"Oh, don't give me that! I've been here for over a week! You _know_ I have been here for my sister."

He balked at that statement. "And why would she need that? She is a Schnee, we don't _need_ anyone."

My sister glared at him. "Stop evading the question, _Jacques._ Why did you tell our brother but not us?!"

He gave another wry smile. "Well, I deemed this to be above you. For this is information that only the current CEO and the _heir_ may know."

I paled, catching his intentional use of the masculine form of heiress, as I felt a solitary tear trail down my cheek. "W- Why?"

"Because you have never been one to stay within reality, _sisters_." I heard my brother spout off. "You both would rather pursue your barbaric and inconsequential dreams, whereas _I,"_ he placed a hand on his chest for emphasis. ", have been working tirelessly to ensure that, when I inherit, I am ready to lead the Schnee Dust Company to a brighter future."

This time, Jacques gave a _genuine_ smile. The first I have ever seen from him. "I could not have said it better myself… _Son_." All three of us blinked. He had _never_ referred to _any_ of us by anything but our names except for when he was being condescending. However, now he seemed… _proud_ of Whitley… He turned to me. "Ever since you got the idea of going to Beacon instead of Atlas, you have done nothing but waste your time on your fools' errand of an ambition." He paused and, as more tears fell, I could never be more glad that my visor was polarized. "I was prepared to forgive your errors upon your graduation, but then you came back wearing that… _perversion_ of a uniform. The moment I laid eyes upon it, I knew you would take the same path as your sister. And I made steps to… _correct_ the inheritance scheme of the SDC." I slowly started marching towards him, gradually picking up speed with every step. He huffed at my approach. "Now what? Are you going to beg for your position?" He smirked. "If you vow to never return to Beacon, I may just let you become a secre- GAH!" He said as I slapped him full-force, sending him to the ground.

"Not only is this a wrongful disinheritance, father, but larger things are at stake! If you haven't noticed, the godsdamn mother-fucking _Covenant_ are burning the city!" I shoved my pathetic excuse for a father away from the tram. "Now if you'll excuse us, _we_ have a planet to save… _Without_ you." I turned to my sister as boarded the transport. "Come, Winter."

She blinked, shortly before complying. Seconds later, we set off. "Are you alright?"

I de-polarized my visor before meekly nodding. "For now…"

My sister enveloped me in a hug. "I'm proud of you." I sniffed before returning the embrace. "You are correct, that was _not_ a valid reason to revoke your inheritance." She pulled back slightly and looked me in the eye. "We _will_ find a way to reverse his decision."

I chuckled darkly. "If there's even an SDC to inherit after this…"

The tram began to slow down, signifying that we were near to our destination. "One problem at a time, sister." She said as we stopped. I nodded, polarizing my visor and ascending the newly revealed staircase.

When we reached the top, the distinct sounds of plasma fire could be heard. I looked to my sister, who nodded. "Feet first into hell." I whispered to myself as my sister opened the door.

She sprinted out, with me not far behind, her plasma rifle blazing. I started taking shots with my BR55, Grunts and Jackals falling under my sustained fire. Plasma washed over me, some shots impacting the ablative plates on my armor, as I dove for cover. It was at this time that I silently thanked Ruby for her suggestion of aura-repelling armor plates, seeing as I would probably be howling in pain right now if I had refused her suggestion.

I slammed a new magazine into my rifle shortly before hearing an Elite roar. I popped up to see that Winter had managed to down the shields of a Ranger-class Elite. One burst later, and the beast was slumped onto the ground, dead.

The combat in the immediate area died down for a minute, enough for me to both assess the damage to my armor and also to briefly survey our surroundings. Both my right shoulder and my breastplate took a hit, though they were both still mostly functional, so I didn't have to worry about dropping them. I heard the sound of glass shattering and realized that my skirt now had two new needle-sized holes in it.

I sighed before taking stock of our position. The unassuming door we came out of was in between two spartan-looking buildings, though I could see several other structures, each proudly flying the Atlas banner.

My sister ran up to me, her eyes widening upon seeing the damage to my armor. "Weiss!" She shouted, her voice full of concern. "I didn't know your aura-"

"Stop." I ordered. "My aura's fine. This armor is doing its job."

She blinked. "What? But wouldn't your aura-"

"The outer plates are designed to _repel_ aura, effectively making _them_ take the hit before _I_ do." I smirked under my visor. "I am completely unharmed." I checked the ammo readout on my weapon, 33 rounds remaining. "Any idea where we are?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes. We are next to the commissary." She pointed to a building right across from us. "That's the mess hall," She pointed down the alleyway. "over there is the barracks, and over here is-" She started, only to be cut off by the staccato of both gunfire and plasma fire. "…the CCT…"

"Let's get moving, then." I said, jogging forward with my weapon at a low ready. We approached a corner, and I nodded to my sister, who gave me a pat on the back. I rounded the corner and came upon a very surprised Elite Minor who, three bursts later, lay dead in a pool of its own blood.

'24 rounds; 8 bursts.' I noted as I leaned out from cover, my rifle raised. My eyes widened at the scene before me. Several squads of Atlesian Troopers had set up makeshift barricades in front of the CCT, though, as evidenced by the numerous bodies, they had taken heavy casualties.

It seemed there was only a handful of huntsmen-in-training present to assist the Troopers, and even then, some had succumbed to the enemy's relentless attacks with most hunkering behind the barricade; only occasionally popping out to take a potshot or two. The Covenant themselves were not without losses, as the bodies of their own infantry outnumbered the Humans and Faunus approximately five to one.

In front of the barricades by just over a hundred meters stood a phalanx of Jackals, slowly advancing under the cover of their shields and protecting a mass of infantry behind them. I grinned under my visor as I reached back and grabbed one of my electricity grenades. I turned to my sister. "Have a Beowolf pack ready to charge the _second_ this thing goes off." She nodded and thrust her sword into the ground, white glyphs appearing behind her.

I primed and hurled my grenade into the direct center of the enemy phalanx. Exactly 1.5 seconds after it landed, it detonated, sending an electrical pulse that stunned all enemies within a ten-meter radius. But more importantly, it _also_ disabled their shields.

The Troopers wasted no time whatsoever in targeting the new opening, and I joined them, adding the staccato of my own weapon to the roar that already permeated the school grounds. Winter's summons charged forward, intercepting the formation on its right flank and tearing through Grunts, Elites, and even the odd Jackal.

Within thirty seconds, their entire formation lay dead or dying. I slammed a new magazine into my rifle as the Beowolves dissipated. We both jogged over to the formation of tired students and weary soldiers, keeping ourselves alert as we did so.

Their guns relaxed a tiny bit when they saw two Humans approach them. "Finally, has command sent us some relief?" One of them asked.

I shook my head as I depolarized my visor, but before I could answer, my sister did it for me. "Unfortunately not, trooper. We actually came looking for reinforcements ourselves, given the situation in the city."

"Of course you did…" He sighed and gestured to the men, both soldiers and students, behind the barricades. "As you can see, we are in _no_ position to reinforce anyone. On top of that, General Ironwood personally came down here to order us to protect the CCT at all costs… Don't know where he went, though."

I stripped my metallic backpack. "I have some basic medical supplies with me, it might help a little bit." I said as I fished out the medkit that Ruby had made standard for every one of us. "I don't know how good it will be against plasma burns, but it's better than nothing."

An AAF Corpsman heard me and instantly rushed over, practically ripping the small container from my hands and immediately moving to treat someone. I looked over to my sister, who had her eyes narrowed. "You seem to know an _awful_ lot about our enemy, sister."

I sighed. "I was wondering when you would notice that." I paused. "As I have implied, my team's leader, Ruby, has fighting experience against them. The Covenant, they are called." I sighed again. "What I haven't mentioned is just how _much_ experience she has. I don't know how, but when she disappeared a decade ago, she somehow went to a place where time passes faster than it does on Remnant. She has been either training to fight or outright fighting the covvies for her entire life. All twenty-two years of it."

Winter's eyes widened. "What? But, that would make her-"

"Old enough to be a fully-fledged huntress and the same age as you, I know."

She crossed her arms. "Well, neglecting the fact that what you say is impossible… Say I believe that she somehow has experience fighting these… _things,_ and that she has taught you some of the things she has learned. What could you tell us about our current situation?"

I turned to observe the scene before me before doing the same to the city; the two alien ships still hovering above it. "Well," I sighed. "I have good news and bad news." I paused. "They're looking for something, which is _very_ strange for them."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "And the good news?"

"That was the good news." I deadpanned. "If they _weren't_ looking for something, they'd've glassed us by now." I silenced my audience's unasked question with a wave. "You all saw those beams they used to cut down the dreadnoughts, right?" They nodded. "Imagine using that against a _planet_." They paled. "It superheats the planet's crust to the point where everything turns to volcanic glass. Hence the term 'Glassing'."

Winter sighed. "Okay, and the bad news?" She said, already dreading the answer.

"They have reinforcements coming in from _above_ those two ships. Meaning that they have more forces in orbit."

The Trooper laughed at my statement. "Orbit? HA! Little lady, we all know that space travel is impossible."

I crossed my arms before gesturing to the pile of dead Covenant. "And you're telling me that these things are from Remnant, then? How would _we_ , thousands of years into Human history, be the first to find them?"

"Yeah, no. Those things aren't alie-" There was a loud thunk as he hit the ground, dead, courtesy of the needle round in his head.

"SNIPER!" I yelled as I polarized my visor. Everyone took cover as I whipped out my Battle Rifle, scanning the rooftops for the probably-Skirmisher responsible for that man's death. A second later, I found it, and pulled the trigger, sending a trio of rounds into the target and dropping it.

I breathed a sigh of relief… …shortly before my eyes widened at the sight of a small fleet of Phantoms approaching the Academy. "DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!" Both me and my sister shouted in unison.

I looked to see that one of the huntsmen-in-training didn't have a ranged weapon. "You there!" I said as I grabbed him. "Do you know how to use a rifle?"

"Uhh- umm-"

"YES OR NO, CADET!" My sister yelled.

"Umm, y- yes ma'am!" He finally answered.

"Good." I unslung my needle rifle from my back. "We need all the guns we can get." I said as I thrust it towards him before giving him my extra ammo for the weapon. By now the dropships had begun disgorging their troops. "Open fire!" I ordered, and was answered by a deafening amount of gunfire. But it seems that we were just as ineffective as the troopers had been before we got here, with only a few dropping and the covvies advancing behind a shield wall.

I reached for my grenade pouch, only to feel that I was out of EMP grenades. I inwardly cursed, remembering that I'd left most of my grenades at Beacon, instead grabbing a gravity grenade. "Everyone, on my mark!" I said as I primed the grenade. "Three!" I threw the explosive. "Two!" It landed. "One!" It 'exploded', causing the aliens to float helplessly in the air. "Mark!"

Everyone popped up and let loose several unopposed volleys, the aliens 'falling' in droves before our gunfire. Exactly five seconds after the grenade detonated, the effects wore off and the now-dead bodies of the Covenant infantry lay dead.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good work everyone, we're cle-" I started, but was interrupted by several black, angular, drop pods impacting the ground. The hatches flew off and my eyes widened as I saw what stepped out. I shot upwards. "HOLD YOUR FIRE! FRIENDLIES DOWNRANGE!"

A quartet of black-armored figures advanced towards us, weapons at a low ready. Their leader de-polarized his visor as he approached. "Weiss Schnee?"

I nodded, de-polarizing my own visor. "That is I." I let a smirk show on my face. "Nice of you to drop in, Trooper."

* * *

(A/N) Aaaand it looks like the cavalry has arrived!

Only a couple _actual_ plot points happened this chapter, mainly because, as Weiss puts it: "The godsdamn mother-fucking Covenant are burning the city!", though her disinheritance happened a bit earlier than it did in the cannon timeline. I think that Jacques would be in-character for doing it now, though… at least for the reason he stated.

To be honest, I think the naval battle sequence was the single most fun thing to write that I have written so far, hope you guys enjoyed it. But as long as we're on the subject of the navy, I'm just going to state the general idea of each class of Atlesian ship; as well as their sizes, given that I've only stated one so far.

* * *

Whitedale-Class destroyer (130m long) [Hull symbol: DE] – Named for one of the many battles during the Great War, this ship is primarily used to escort larger ships, though its torpedoes make it fairly deadly within knife-fight range. Thin armor, low-yield pulse lasers, and lack of any real options at range make this a somewhat poor choice for anything but grimm defense.

Outrider-Class patrol cruiser (153m long) [Hull symbol: PC] – These ships make up the bulk of the Atlesian cruiser fleet, though they are really only suited for patrols, as their name implies. Unlike every other cruiser-class ship, they lack broadsides and are only outfitted with one medium-yield laser turret. Though their armor is relatively thick for their size. This class of ship is the smallest that the Atlesian Naval Bureau considers to be 'Capital-Weight'.

Mantle-Class strike-cruiser (176m long) [Hull symbol: SC] – This relatively small cruiser is meant to close the gap between opposing fleets and engage with powerful, Heavy cruiser class, broadsides. Though its thin armor (only twice as thick as the Whitedale-class) ensures that the cruiser rarely gets to its optimum range.

Resolute-Class line-cruiser (244m long) [Hull symbol: LC] – While not as long-ranged as a dreadnought, this class of line-cruiser is famous for its heavy-hitting guns and thick armor, albeit this makes it only slightly faster than the dreads it commonly accompanies.

Aurora-Class dreadnought (301m long) [Hull symbol: DN] – The pride of the Atlesian fleet, and the newest of a long and storied history of dreadnoughts. This class of ship is meant to go toe-to-toe with anything that _anyone_ can dish out. With armor up to half-a-meter in some places, these beasts are almost impenetrable by Remnant standards.

Solitas-Class battlecarrier (478m long) [Hull symbol: BCV] – An older model of battlecarrier built before Atlas decided to focus on smaller, less expensive, ships during times of peace. Though showing their age, Atlas still operates two of these venerable ships. They are extremely heavily armored, more so than even the newer dreadnoughts. Though relatively lightly armed, this class of carrier can still be in the thick of battle and provide limited fire support, all the while, its fighter craft wreak havoc on the enemy.

Sovereign-Class battlecarrier (430m long) [Hull symbol: BCV] – The newest carrier in service to Atlas, just as heavily armored as its predecessor, though only carrying three-fourths of its aircraft. This model of carrier can do almost everything the last model could… …and at a cheaper cost, too.

* * *

Alright, so that was a thing. I know that the size of the Atlesian ships might seem a bit… _smaller_ than the Halo community is used to, but I actually based the size of the first and the third ships on old WWII US navy ships, just upscaled slightly (Fletcher-class destroyer, and Cleveland-class light cruiser, respectively). With the patrol cruiser being an in-between for the two, and the LC/DN being in-betweens for the strike cruiser and the battlecarrier. By the way, the Sovereign-class is almost ninety meters longer than the (to my knowledge) biggest supercarrier Earth has yet to produce; The USS Enterprise (342m) [CVN-65].

On the subject of ship sizes, writing this has made me realize just how ridiculously large a lot of ships are in comparison to other franchises. Seriously, an SDV-class _corvette_ is only about two-hundred meters shy of a friggin Venator-class _Star Destroyer_ from Star Wars. As well as the CCS-class battlecruiser being bigger than an ISD by over a hundred meters… Not saying the covvies would win against the Republic _or_ the Empire, just thought I'd point out something I found to be interesting.

Anyways, on to the reviews!

 **Guest 001** – I'm sure that happened somewhere, in fact, Winter showed something kinda similar during her first encounter, in that she was a bit angry at Weiss for shooting first. I agree with you that there are some things that aura doesn't protect against, in fact, I basically made it cannon being that _WBY's armor _repels_ aura. The only reason why _weapons_ don't have that same property, is because they would just flat out break if they weren't protected by aura (That's my headcannon on how something as mechanically complex as, say, Crescent Rose, is able to hit something and not immediately shatter into a million pieces), meaning that aura-ignoring weapons are reserved only for very stealthy and easily replaced weapons. I'm probably not gonna go with the whole 'aura zombie' idea, though it's interesting for sure.

 **Itharax** – Yea, may god have mercy on them indeed. Sorry Ruby didn't get there yet, my reasoning is that, looking at a map, it would appear that Weiss is in the equivalent of Greenland whereas R_BY + _T_Q are in Florida. I looked up the travel time, and it's about a seven-hour flight. Its safe to say that they won't arrive 'til nightfall if they were to go via a normal airship.

 **Shadow Walker of Fire** – Yea, sorry about the hiatus, but look on the bright side! It won't be anywhere near as long as the hiatus between cannon volumes. Speaking of which, V6C1 was _really_ good! …And that's all I'm gonna say about that because it's a pretty safe bet that the majority of people reading this haven't seen it yet. I won't directly say what my other project is about, though you can hazard a guess by the title: "A Summer's Harvest". They don't believe themselves to be members of the UNSC, no. They took the moniker because of their somewhat idealistic view of the UNSC and that both their training and armor are reminiscent of their ODST counterparts. Just pack my box with PT gear!

 **SmoothedBeast36** – Yea, while researching just how much energy a MAC round (even one from a Charon-class frigate) outputs, I realized I may have made Atlas a taaaaaaaad bit overpowered with their lasers. Way back in chapter seven, I had Ruby state that a Charon's MAC produces slightly _less_ energy than the high-yield laser of an Aurora-class dreadnought. Back then, I didn't realize that said MAC produced 270 _Terrajoules_ of energy. Fun fact: Nanolaminate actually melts at _less than a hundred degrees_ higher than elemental titanium, making it effectively just as shit at deflecting DEWs as said substance. At 100% efficiency, and fudging the specific heat of nanolaminate to be 1000 J/(kg (degrees in kelvin))[For the lazy, Specific Heat is a way to measure the amount of resistance a substance has to changing temperature. That's probably grossly oversimplified, but it'll do for now], that much energy is enough to _vaporize_ nearly 159,000 _tons_ of that material. Obviously, a 100% efficient energy conversion is impossible, so I settled with the covvies shields being one-shotted and also anything more than a graze completely gutting the affected section. If the mid-yield lasers are even _1%_ the yield of their larger cousins, that still means over a thousand tons of nanolaminate being scattered to the wind (literally) every time the weapon is fired. Eventually, I settled on making Atlesian lasers far more devastating to localized sections, though far less devastating to the entire ship as a whole. Concerning the armor that Atlas uses, I will agree that they might as well have been using tissue paper, at least _that_ wouldn't weigh them down so much. To be honest, after nearly three decades of war, I'm wondering why the UNSC hasn't completely stripped its lighter ships of armor entirely due to its ineffectiveness. It would make them A) Faster to accelerate. B) Cheaper to produce. And C) No difference in durability vs covvies. For reference, a Charon-class frigate has about 11cm thicker armor than the thickest parts of the armor on an Iowa-class battleship from WWII. That might not seem like much, but the difference alone is thicker than the armor used on that ship's main deck.

TL;DR: Both the covvies and UNSC are shit at dealing with energy weapons; guess what Atlas uses.

 **osterreicher97** – Yep, the UNSC is here now, and the covvies actually followed them to Remnant, just like they followed the Pillar of Autumn to Alpha Halo. In regards to Remnant's relation to Earth and whatnot, it is actually in a different universe. Like the crazy lady at the beginning said, the covvies damaged a UNSC slipspace drive and it tore a hole in the universe, as opposed to simply between dimensions (slipspace vs realspace). As for how Remnant was seeded, I'd rather not tell for now, as I haven't decided when I'll address it. It could be within the next two chapters, or it could be four canon volumes down the line.

 **ShadowPony12** – Thanks! And I hope it didn't disappoint.

 **Guest 002** – Nope, there's not really a reason for that to go on hiatus. In fact, the only reason why its kinda gotten neglected a bit was because I was running a bit short on time the past few weeks. Hopefully, _that's_ the longest hiatus that fic will ever see.

 **survivorsp** – Yea, I kinda already did in some regards, though there are ways to weasel out of the corners I've painted myself in at this time.

 **Guest 003** – Speaking of weaseling out of corners, that's the only _real_ reason why Summer isn't a Wolf Faunus. I do think both Summer and Ruby make better wolves than cats.

 **4** – Well, at least there's still two more chapters 'til the hiatus hits. And there _will_ be two more.

 **raw666** – Considering its up in the air if Atlas will even _exist_ in a few days' time, considering the grimm are conspicuously absent, idk, maybe. As for the last two scenarios, probably both will happen.

 **devek1** – Actually, the source I used specifically stated that Jorge's height _without_ armor was 7'4", and with, he was eight foot. I looked and looked and could not find anyone saying the rest of Noble team's heights with or without armor, so I'm just gonna say that's their height without armor because that makes sense to record _that_ statistic. Also, in chapter one, I will admit I was an idiot and didn't consider Ruby's armor effecting her height. It has always been my intention to make her short, on account of her canon height being well below average, and at the time I believed _all_ Spartans to be seven feet tall. Where I got this idea when Jorge was _**obviously**_ much taller than canon Noble Six in Halo: Reach, I have no idea, but its what stuck in my mind at the time. As for Lucy, the wiki specifically states that her height was recorded at age twelve, aka the augmentation age. I'm interpreting that as being her pre-augmentation height, because dear _god_ how fucking short would she be _without_ augs if it wasn't. As for the comparison between SII's and SIII's, Ruby didn't really have that in mind when saying that. It was just "He was on my team, and he was easily the tallest one". Keep in mind that not _everything_ any one character says is the absolute 100% truth, it is instead either a lie or the truth _according to them_. And humans are known to make errors… such as myself.

Side thought: would the saying 'To err is to human' be the same on Remnant? Given that the faunus exist.

 **psp reader** – Yea, things were going _far_ too well for everyone. Volume three called and said it wanted to come early :D

 **Guest 004** – I'm hoping to get chapter 15 out by the end of the year, though don't be surprised if it ends up being January before it comes out.

 **red october700** – The ships are, for now, just team names. That will change in the future, but I won't say _which_ ones will change. I personally say love whoever the fuck you want, though it's entirely within your rights to disagree with me. (Note to anyone else reading this: Don't send hatemail, it doesn't actually accomplish anything.) Yea, I personally like her more as a Wolf, too, buuuut its kinda hard to hide those ears beneath just a hood, and I didn't want to make Ruby seem like an idiot for not noticing in ch1 when she first saw the picture. Although I don't have anything planned out, her heritage _will_ play into the story… somehow… Also, ONI isn't on Remnant, in fact, they don't even know it exists; though I do agree that it is _definitely_ something they'd do. While these guys are from the Covenant Empire, I am currently open to the idea that, say, the Swords of Sanghelios will visit Remnant, or a joint Human-alien ship. Though it'd be far in the future. And it'll be even more interesting because now _every_ sapient being on Remnant has a reason to _fucking despise_ aliens… Great, now all I can think of is a 40k rip off in the form of The Imperium of Mantle… That fits too well… While I haven't read Halo: First Strike, I am at least familiar with its events in passing thanks to some Youtubers. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Ascendant Justice the ship that they combined with a human one? Anyways, I didn't de-age Ruby, I just slowed down her aging process so I wouldn't have to de-age her… Loopholes ftw… In all seriousness, that's the entire reason for her getting that slowing down aging perk. I wanted her family to still be able to recognize her and not immediately go "Why are you older than you should be?" Because there is quite a noticeable difference between a 15-year-old and a 22-year-old.

 **Guest 005** – In all likelihood, no. Sorry about that.

 **Guest 006** – Don't worry, I certainly will. It's just there's a lot to cover between the one or two in-universe days that this arc takes place over. I'll get to R_BY + _T_Q in the next chapter.

 **Guest 007** – Well, if time worked the way it usually does, then yes, they would be fine. But it doesn't, and these guys are still coming from the Fall of Reach.

– Again, I choose to interpret that as a complement.

 **475213** – The way I saw it, at the time, was that the fragmentation pierced the 'unarmored' sections of her suit. Later, I learned that no such sections exist. Also, during the fall from orbit, I said her aura hadn't broken… though looking back on it now, it _really_ should have. Man, I really was an idiot back then, wasn't I? I'll probably be saying _that_ again in the future though.

Well, that's all for today! Hope you guys enjoyed. "Frozen Hell" is next up! Ch3 of The Fall of Reach should be up either later today or tomorrow.


	13. Frozen Hell

Aaaaand its finally fucking done! This thing went through a kind of development hell, with me writing, deleting, re-writing, deleting again, and using modified versions of the original script on several of the sections. That's part of the reason why this took so long to get out. The other reason is that I was in Georgia for a significant amount of time watching my brother's graduation from AIT. Also, the release of CK2 Holy Fury may or may not have had a contributing factor to my tardiness…

Due to many, many people having trouble determining who's who just after a character switch, I'm going to be directly stating who they are as well as giving an extremely brief description of _where_ they are.

One last thing, its kinda up in the air if "A Summer's Harvest" will be posted at the same time as ch14 of Ruby B-312. I'm still going to shoot for it, but I make no promises.

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 4/30/19

* * *

Chapter Thirteen – Frozen Hell

* * *

/-\ Jacob Keyes; _UNSC Pillar of Autumn_ \- Slipspace /-\

* * *

"Damage report, Cortana." I ordered as the portal closed behind us.

The avatar of a blue woman appeared over the single holotank on the bridge. "A few scorch marks on the armor from near-misses, but other than that, nothing. Armor and hull integrity at 100%, life support online, weapons online, everything is online and working perfectly."

I nodded. "Good, anything else to report?"

She hummed. "Well, I did detect two anomalies before we left."

I raised an eyebrow. "Did the Covenant cause them?"

"No sir."

"Good, rig us for silent running." I said shortly before the lights dimmed. "Not much else to do, any idea what the anomalies were?"

She shook her head. "No sir. One occurred in the relative vicinity of Sierra-B312's last known location and the other near the _UNSC Greenisle_ a few thousand kilometers away from where we jumped."

I sighed. "Figures B-312 would cause an anomaly. Just because I'm curious, give me a rundown of the events."

"The one groundside occurred first and lasted approximately fifteen femtoseconds, approximately one-point-two minutes later, the second occurred and was still ongoing when we left. Last I checked, the _Greenisle, Odinsdottir, Road Paved With Red, Devil's Hand_ , and a CAS-class battlegroup were headed into the anomaly. Both events were similar to standard slipspace ruptures, though they are also different according to the readings. Unfortunately, there is insufficient data to make a solid hypothesis on what effect those differences would have."

I hummed. "Very well. Hopefully we can escape."

She gave me a sad smile. "I think we both know how well that will work out…"

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Xiao Long homestead /-\

* * *

I slammed a magazine into Blush before sheathing Wilt into it; quickly placing the looted weapon on my right hip, adjacent to the four reserve magazines. On the same leg, just above my tactical softcase, I magnetized my Magnum. I powered up Onyx Rose, its readout displaying a full sixty rounds in its current magazine, and stowed it on my back. I thought about bringing my shotgun as well, but I had left it back at Beacon…

…along with all but one of my grenades; a Frost Frag.

I burst into the living room, seeing Tai and Qrow both standing around, confused looks on their faces. Suddenly, Qrow's eyes narrowed at my covered face. "Where did you get that?" He said in a low voice as he pointed at my sword.

I smirked under my helmet. "Heh, only from the most arrogant Bull Faunus to walk the face of Remnant." My smirk fell. "But we can talk about that later. Right now, we need to get to Atlas."

Qrow opened his mouth, but was swiftly cut off by the armored footfalls of my squa- ' _Team_.' I reminded myself, sprinting down the stairs. "Weapons check!" I ordered. They both unslung their firearms and gave them a once-over before nodding.

"Six mags plus four belts; one High-Explosive." Yang announced.

"Six mags of seven-six-two and twelve mags of point-forty-five auto; two Smokes." Blake responded.

I nodded and turned off my intercom before switching on the radio. "Radio check."

"Lima Charlie." / "Lima Charlie." Came their responses.

I nodded and reactivated my intercom. "Alright, Operation is a go!" The three of us turned and sprinted out the door with me grabbing the keys to the car on the way out. I slammed the door shut and was just about to drive off when Tai ran up to the window, frantically knocking on it.

"Hey!" He shouted. "What gives?!"

"I wasn't kidding when I said there's a goddamn alien invasion happening. Either sit down or hang on, we're leaving in about ten seconds!" Qrow quickly made up his mind and jumped into the back seat. "What?! But this is _my_ car! You can't- WOAH!" He yelled as I took off. "RUBY! STOOOOOOOP!"

I giggled. "Hey, I said sit down or hang on! Not my fault you chose the latter!" I turned the wheel sharply, skidding onto a dirt road and throwing my father onto the roof. "There! Now you've got a seat! Happy?!"

"NO! STOOOOOOO-" I drove under a low-hanging tree branch. "Blegh! Gah!"

I saw another bend coming up. "Blake! You take the middle and open your door." She obeyed right as I forced the car to drift right, sending my father careening over the edge again. By the time he had gotten airborne, I had already punched out my window and grabbed him. Using my augmented strength, I threw him into the back. He landed just as I needed to make another turn, slamming the door shut behind him.

I heard him groan. "Ugh, I think Raven was in that tree…"

"What?" My sister asked.

"I think a raven was in that tree." He swiftly corrected.

Qrow audibly winced at Tai's statement before addressing me. "So, kiddo, mind telling my why you're driving worse than me after a few drinks?" He said, oddly calm about my driving.

I took another hard right, nearly sideswiping a truck. "Hey! There's a difference between _bad_ driving and being in a hurry!"

"Pfft, you act like the world's ending." He said sarcastically.

"It is!" Yang, Blake, and I replied simultaneously.

The car burst through a chain-link fence…

…or at least tried to… "Goddamnit…" I muttered. "Everyone out! We're here!" I yelled swiftly dismounting. "Up and over!" Just as I had vaulted over the fence, a flash of light erupted around us, temporarily overwhelming the evening sun. As the light began to fade, radiation alarms blared in my helmet. My eyes widened and I looked up… …and saw the last remnants of a spaceborne nuclear fireball dying out.

With a mere thought, I activated my naval-based IFF system. A grin spread across my face as the icons for four, albeit low tonnage, UNSC ships appeared. But that grin slowly disappeared as I realized the state they were in; the Paris-class frigate had been crew-killed for whatever reason, one of the two destroyers was heavily damaged with the other covering the retreat of an undamaged Charon-class that looked to be the flagship.

I tuned my radio to a secure naval frequency. "This is Sierra-B312 to UNSC _Odinsdottir_ , how copy?"

After a few seconds, likely processing my authentication package, I received a response. "Copy Sierra, the _Odinsdottir_ has you loud and clear."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. As unlikely as it seems, there are Humans on this planet, and they've already engaged Covenant forces in the north. One of my team members is already there and we're en route, but we could use a lift if you could spare one."

"Roger, diverting a Pelican to your location. Anything else you can tell us in the meantime?"

"Okay, first off, do _not_ deploy any troops outside the walls of any city. This planet is inhabited by a class of extremely dangerous and extremely hostile predators that I doubt even the Bjørnssønner would walk away from." I paused. "By the way, do you have any of 'em with you?"

"Ay-firm. They're in the tubes."

"Good. Have 'em be on the lookout for a short woman in white ODST-like armor by the name of 'Weiss Schnee'."

"Copy that." One of the destroyers' icons disappeared from my HUD and the other showed that she was falling towards the planet; its thrusters making sure it wouldn't burn up, but not much else. "Be advised, Covenant have orbital supremacy and we're pulling back."

I sighed. "Copy." Just then, I remembered that the Paris-class had been crew-killed. " _Odinsdottir,_ status on _Greenisle's_ Cole Protocol?"

"Unconfirmed."

"Shit." I swore. "Have the rest of my team dropped off in the north, I'll make sure the covvies don't get their hands on anything important."

"Copy, B312. _Odinsdottir_ out."

I sighed again before turning to my team. "Well, good news and bad news."

Qrow raised an eyebrow. "Guessin' it had somethin' to do with that flash a minute ago."

"Heh, yeah. That, Qrow, was the UNSC nuking some unlucky covvie ship." Though their expressions were unreadable beneath their polarized helmets, I could tell that Blake and Yang were both understandably apprehensive at the thought of nukes being used on Remnant. "Don't worry, it was in orbit." I said to them before they let out a breath I doubt they knew they were holding. "Anyways, Navy guys fucked up and got one of their frigates crew-killed without destroying everything. You guys'll go to Atlas and link up with Weiss while I scuttle the ship. All goes well, I'll drop feet first into hell just in time to save your asses."

"Let us come with you," Yang started. "we can help!"

"Yeah, you can. But your suits aren't vacuum-rated, and considering the ship I'm boarding went dark, it's possible that there's no air in there." I paused. "And I am _not_ going to risk you dying from something as stupid as that." I said before thrusting Onyx Rose into Yang's arms, to which she tilted her head in confusion. "Dust doesn't work in orbit. I'll be back for that."

Just then, I heard the telltale whistle of a Pelican coming in for a landing. "Alright ladies! Our ride's here!" I said shortly before the craft landed and dropped its rear hatch. "Move! Move!" I yelled at everyone, joining them after they had all filed in and grabbed a handhold hanging from the ceiling. "ALL IN!" I yelled to the pilot, who raised the ramp and promptly took off.

"Woah…" One of the Marines, part of the squad already occupying the Pelican, said.

"A Spartan?" Another said. "Here?!" He continues, hope written all over his face.

"We're gonna be alright, man!" Yet another said to his battle-buddy sitting next to him. "We're gonna be alright!"

My uncle smirked. "Looks like you have some fans, kiddo."

"Heh, well… the covvies don't call us demons for nothing."

He blinked. "They compare you to grimm?"

"Ha!" Yang let out. "If you saw her in action, you'd agree with them!"

With a small smile, I interrupted their banter. "Alright, that's enough. I need to brief you." I said, gaining their full attention. "Its fairly likely that you'll encounter a special group of ODSTs called the Bjørnssønner, they all carry melee weapons and are the best non-spartan soldiers available to the UNSC. They don't have aura, though, so don't have them fight like a huntsman or they'll get slaughtered. That said, they're the closest thing the UNSC has to fully-fledged huntsmen." A loud clunk sounded throughout the hull. "Well, looks like this is my stop." I turned specifically to Blake. "You're in charge until you link up with Weiss." The rear door dropped, revealing the busy hangar of a Charon-class frigate. "Remember your training and you'll come out just fine. Heh, keep the FNGs alive will ya, Helljumpers?"

A smirk crawled its way onto my hidden face as they both responded with a resounding "Oorah!"

I grabbed an M45 off the ceiling of the Pelican before departing, the ramp slamming shut behind me and the craft itself returning to the void. I clamped the shotgun onto my back just as a naval officer strode up to me. I stood at attention and gave him a salute, to which he returned it. "At ease, Spartan."

I dropped my hand, still remaining at attention. "What are my orders, Commander?" I had learned his rank through his uniform.

"You said it yourself, you're gonna board the _Greenisle_ and enforce the Cole Protocol. Can you fly?"

A smirk crossed my face under my helmet and I nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good." He turned away and motioned for me to follow him. "I don't know your clearance level, but we managed to pick up an experimental fighter of some kind on our way out. Pilot was heavily wounded and died in the medbay a few days ago. We managed to patch it up, but no one here knows how to fly it." He explained as we walked through the busy hangar bay.

Eventually, we came to a small berthing…

…and I immediately recognized what was inside. "It's a YSS-1000 'Sabre' prototype anti-ship spaceplane." I said, eliciting a raised eyebrow from the Commander. "I've flown a couple in the past." I sighed, remembering the last time I did. "Did the _Greenisle_ have any nukes?" I asked.

"I think it had one, but I'd have to double check." He said as he brought up a datapad. He pressed a few buttons before nodding. "Inventory shows a single FENRIS-class nuclear warhead."

I nodded. "Alright, that's all I needed to know." I popped open the cockpit of my new Sabre. "Better not waste time, my callsign will be..." I paused as I thought of one. "Sabre Bravo-three-one-two."

He nodded. "Dismissed, Spartan." He said before walking away.

I climbed into the craft and did a quick pre-flight check, to which everything was green. I opened the comms. "Sabre Bravo-three-one-two to _Odinsdottir_ Actual, requesting permission to take off."

"Saber Bravo-three-one-two, your request has been granted on order of Commander Witherson."

"Copy, Actual." I said. A loud thunk resounded throughout the bay, signifying the closure of the inner doors. Seconds later, the outer doors opened and my ship was magnetically catapulted into the void. "Launch successful, Actual." I said as the engines ignited.

"Copy. Uploading coordinates of the _Greenisle_ now."

"Received. En route." I smirked as I hit the afterburners, screaming towards my target.

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Atlas CCT – Courtyard /-\

* * *

"Weiss Schnee?" The leader of the black-armored ODSTs asked.

I nodded, de-polarizing my visor to match him. "That is I." I let a smirk show on my face. "Nice of you to drop in, trooper."

The rest of his squad got close enough for me to examine them. He himself looked fairly standard, were it not for the antenna on his helmet and the golden stripe on his left shoulder. He wielded a BR55, like myself, and had a pistol at his hip. Strangely, he had a medium-length sword at his other hip; the same as two of his squadmates.

Another one approached, his uniform even plainer than the one who approached me. He held his MA5B in a low-ready stance, yet, while it was somewhat relaxed, the stance also allowed him to react quickly to anything; a stance which was shared by both the first and third member of his squad.

The next man was a burly one, and his armor was also the bulkiest. While he cradled an unsuppressed submachine gun, his primary armament was on his back: A large, two-barreled, rocket launcher. His bulky armor was accented by a purple stripe on his right shoulder as well as two horn-shaped paintings on either side of his helmet.

The final member was obviously inexperienced, as he clutched his suppressed SMG for dear life. His armor was almost shiny, unlike his teammates, and was completely plain. He was also the only one without a sword.

The leader nodded in response before I suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute, how did you know who I am?"

He shrugged. "I dunno, command said to be on the lookout for someone matching your description." As he drew closer, I got a better look at his face. He appeared to be in his late teens or early twenties and had a large scar running diagonally from his left eyebrow down to below his right cheekbone. His hair was hidden by his helmet, even with the de-polarized visor, but judging by his unusually pale skin and befreckled face, it was exceedingly likely that it was some shade of red. Deep blue eyes looked me over as he waved his three teammates forward. "Sergeant Bergström," He introduced. "this is Beta-Two of the 15th Raiders." He paused while his allies caught up. "Alright, we don't officially have any orders other than 'Kill covvies', so if you'd be so kind as to point us in the right direction…" He trailed off.

"Just a moment." I said before turning to my sister. "You should stay here. The Troopers need a leader and their last one is… well…" I motioned to the body of the Atlesians' former commanding officer.

She gave me a stern look. "You're just going to leave with these strange men?" She questioned.

"Hmph. They're hardly strange." I shot back.

"Where did they even come from? I don't recall Atlas using those…"

"Drop pods." I supplied.

"Yes, 'Drop pods'."

The Sergeant spoke up again. "We're from Þrúðvangr, well, everyone except the Rookie." He motioned to one of the standard ODSTs, the one that was tightly gripping his suppressed SMG.

"Ja, pojken utan ett svärd." One of the other squadmates, the large one, interjected.

A grimace crossed Bergström's face as he stormed up to the other trooper. "If you have something to say about the Rookie, say it to his face." He commanded. " _And_ in a language he can understand, Fettröv."

The larger man shrugged. "You got it, Brandman."

"Are you two done?" I questioned, my arms crossed. They both looked at me and shrugged. "Good. Because in case you've forgotten, the Covenant are killing civilians while you bicker like children." I slammed a fresh mag into my own BR55 and strode forward, picking up a pair of sticky grenades in the process. "If you'll excuse me, I have a city to evacuate." I said as I stormed off, polarizing my visor in the process.

Just as planned, the four ODSTs followed after me. "Alright, alright! We're coming." He said, following me.

"Good." I stated as we reached the academy's exit. "Standard protocol has civilians gathering in Grimm shelters throughout the city, but I don't know how well they'll hold up against the Covenant." It was then that I had a realization. "We would likely be more combat effective if I knew your names." I pointed out.

The Sergeant shrugged. "Alright boys, don't be shy."

One of the plain ODSTs stepped into my view. "Lance Corporal Olsson." He introduced, to which I nodded.

"Umm… Private Ohno, ma'am." The other plain ODST, the only one without a sword, stated.

"No need for formalities, Private." I said. "As the heiress- well, _former_ heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, I've received far more than my fair share of that."

"Uhh… Okay?" He said in a questioning tone.

The burly one stepped up. "Don't mind the Rookie, he's just a bit shy. You can call me PFC Håkansson."

"Very well." I said, slightly irritated at his somewhat flirty tone.

As we exited the courtyard, we came across another battlefield. The bodies of dozens of Atlesian huntsmen, students, and troopers opposed by the bodies of the Covenant outnumbering them by at least a factor of five.

Olsson let out a whistle. "Damn, you guys really put up a good fight."

I huffed. "Of course we did. We Atlesians fight until the bitter end." Suddenly, we heard a cacophony of plasmafire coming from a block to our left. "It's close! Follow me!" I yelled as I realized there was no staccato of dust-based firearms returning fire.

As we rounded the corner, we were greeted with the sight of a woman engaging several Covenant combatants with her whip. Her brown hair was done up in a ponytail with it forming a somewhat odd curl at the end. She was clad in a black sleeveless stealth suit along with a matching pair of combat boots, but what made my eyes widen was what she was wearing on her face.

It was a Grimm mask.

This woman is a member of the White Fang.

Gunfire from my allies broke me out of my stupor, and I decided to address her later, instead diving behind cover and taking aim at the nearest Elite. I heard a scream of terror come from behind the White Fang Agent. Looking over there, I saw several Faunus huddled in fear, a Brute Chieftain standing over them with its hammer raised and a grin on its face.

I immediately vaulted over my cover and onto a road of speed glyphs, taking a few shots at the overgrown ape to distract it.

The beast roared in anger and began to sprint towards me. I let the speed glyphs dissipate and emptied two more bursts into it before my rifle clicked, signifying an empty magazine.

Instead of slamming yet another mag into my rifle, I holstered it onto my back while simultaneously unsheathing Myrtenaster.

Just as my blade cleared my hip, the Brute arrived and swung its hammer down upon my head…

…and impacted the ground where I stood moments ago.

Just as the hammer impacted, I also struck, my sword skidding harmlessly off the beast's armored gauntlets.

It laughed before swinging its hammer at me again, though I dodged with a cartwheel and followed up by stabbing at one of the gaps in its armor; the one on its elbow. My thrust connected, and I flicked my blade upwards just as I felt it enter the beast's new wound, causing even more damage, shortly before retracting my rapier.

It howled in pain and unleashed a flurry of blows, though they were much easier to dodge with the Jiralhanae's injury. Seeing its reduced effectiveness, my foe resorted to a kick. I slid under the blow and thrust my sword upwards into the unprotected back of its knee. As my blade was in its target, I unleashed a torrent of dust-based lightning, causing it to scream in pain.

Just as I thought I had won, I felt something grab the back of my skull and toss me onto the ground nearby, forming a me-sized crater.

I groaned as I tried to regain my senses for a moment, though my respite only lasted that long. My eyes widened as I saw the hammer descend upon me, and I was just barely able to roll out of the way. It was at this point I realized that I no longer had my Myrtenaster, and then I began to slightly panic. As I was repeatedly rolling, avoiding more strikes, my hand brushed up against the revolver I had taken off that woman.

Seeing my only hope, I quickly drew it, lined up a shot, and pulled the trigger.

A moment passed as I registered what happened, then another, before I heard a loud 'clang' directly beside me followed by an equally loud 'thunk' in front of me.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that the sounds were made by both the gravity hammer and its wielder respectively. I sat up, but winced when a sharp shard of concrete rubbed up against the aura on my back. I reached back and removed the piece that, as a matter of fact, was sticking out of the aura-repulsing portion of my armor. I chuckled darkly as I realized that I miraculously shot it in the head.

A bolt of blue plasma struck the ground directly in front of me, causing me to remember my previous situation.

I shot upwards, ready to continue the fight, but then I realized that the last enemy had just fallen. I strode forward to meet the rest of my squad…

…only to be stopped by the White Fang Agent.

I froze.

The woman and I locked eyes for a moment, well, as best we could when both of our faces were hidden, before she spoke up. "I know you work for the Schnees," She sighed. "but you have my thanks for protecting them." She motioned to the group of Faunus. "Just a word of warning, you should leave _their_ service before its too late. I wouldn't want to hurt a Human like-"

"Hey! Weiss!" Private Ohno yelled before running up to me. "I think you dropped this." He produced Myrtenaster, which was no worse for wear.

Her face twisted into a snarl. "Weiss… Weiss _Schnee_?" She growled out.

I quickly grabbed Myrtenaster from the trooper before leaping backwards. "You don't have to do this. We have more important things to-"

"More important things?!" She yelled as her skin shifted to a fiery red and her hair to an equally angry yellow. "You _Schnees_ force us to work in your mines as little better than slaves and there are 'more important things' to do?!"

"Listen, I know you hate me," I started. "but by the gods as my witnesses, I am _not_ my father!"

"You think that _words_ will convince me?! I won't be so easily swayed by _filth_ such as you!"

"If I were truly as terrible as my father, would I have saved them?!" I shot a finger towards the Faunus, giving her pause. "When I put my life on the line for them, I didn't think of the publicity, or how good it would make the company look. No, I saw _lives_ that were in danger." I depolarized my visor, showing her my serious expression. " _That_ is what separates me from him. I see _lives,_ not walking Lien signs." I blinked, realizing that just a few months ago, I would have had a _very_ different reaction to the presence of not only the Faunus here, but also the White Fang Agent.

Suddenly, the Sergeant stepped between us. "Would you two shut up already?!" He yelled. "I get that you don't like each other, but Weiss is right. There _are_ more important things to deal with right now."

"You wouldn't understand, Human." She growled out.

"Shut it." He said before turning to me. "Don't act like you're off the hook either. I don't like slavers, and I'm pretty sure everyone here agrees with me." I visibly winced when I saw the burly one crack his knuckles. "But that's for later. We have civvies to save."

"Agreed." I said before turning to the Agent. "Truce?" I said, offering my hand.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking it through, before taking a step back. "I'll _never_ work with a Schnee." She said in a low voice before turning to the group of Faunus. "Let's move." She ordered, but no one moved a muscle. "Do you want to die out here? We have to move!"

They remained still, but one of them, a male ram Faunus, spoke up. "We… we don't really like the White Fang either…" He confessed.

She scowled again. "Fine. Be that way." She said before storming off.

The ram Faunus turned to me. "We're a bit apprehensive about working with a Schnee… but after what you did… we're willing to give you a chance."

I nodded. "That is all I ask." I said. "Now, we probably shouldn't stay here. Stay behind us and keep hidden." I ordered as I started to lead our group forward.

"Rookie, stay with the civvies. Make sure they're uninjured." Bergström ordered.

"Yessir!" He responded as the rest of the squad followed me.

"So," The Sergeant started. "where to now?"

"We're still headed for the shelter, as once again, it's a tossup as to whether or not it can withstand a Covenant assault."

The burly one, Håkansson if I remember correctly, balked. "Why even build a shelter if it can't face the covvies?"

"Because it's a _G_ _rimm_ shelter. Until less than an hour ago, Remnant didn't know about the Covenant." I stated.

"And the Grimm are…?" He trailed off.

I blinked before remembering that Ruby said they were a Remnant-exclusive thing. "I'll just give you the short version. They're an extremely dangerous and overtly hostile class of… well, we don't know, things? I suppose…" I hummed. "Anyways, they're categorized by pitch-black fur, thick bony armor, red eyes, unrelenting bloodlust, inhuman strength, and are attracted to the negative emotions of both Humans and Faunus."

"Åh! Det är precis som hemma!" He said excitedly before catching himself. "Oh, it kinda sounds familiar to us."

I raised an eyebrow. "And that would mean…?" I trailed off.

"How long until we reach the objective?" Sergeant Bergström cut in.

"At this rate, about fifteen minutes." I replied, causing the Sergeant to nod towards Håkansson.

"Well, Skjaldmær Weiss," He began. "let me tell you of the Ice Giants…"

* * *

/-\ Jaune Arc; Off the coast of Bar Province, Southern Vale /-\

* * *

"This is… interesting…" My partner said, giving a nervous laugh.

"Ah, come on, Pyr. Ya just gotta have a bitta patience."

"Well… what do we do in the meantime?"

I shrugged. "Eh, not much." I sighed. "They just aren't biting today, are they…"

"I'm more surprised about your lack of nausea." A male voice said.

"Pfft, come on, Ren! That only happens on airships!" I responded indignantly. Suddenly, I realized something. "Uhh… where's Nora?"

A ghost of a smirk crossed its way over my teammate's normally stoic face. "She's below deck sleeping off a syrup-induced sugar crash."

Suddenly, the alarm on my scroll went off. "Time to reapply our sunscreen, guys." I announced.

"Umm, not to sound rude," Pyrrha started. "but isn't reapplying every hour a tad extreme?"

"Nope." I said, pulling out the lotion. "Unless you wanna find out what its like to be a lobster, ya gotta use sunscreen." I said as I covered all the, admittedly few, exposed parts of my skin.

"J- Jaune?"

"Yea, Pyr?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"C- Could you… umm…" She stuttered. "C- Could you get my b- back for me?"

I shrugged. "Sure. Oh, by the way, don't forget to get your cheeks. They look a little red already."

I heard Ren grumble something as I complied with my partner's request. "S- Sure…" She trailed off.

After a few minutes, we were finished. "Hey, Jaune?" Ren started, and I turned my head to him. "Can you remind us why we brought our weapons? I don't think the water is deep enough for any large grimm."

"Large Grimm, no. But sometimes a Blackjaw or two'll wander into the bay we're in."

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe we've learned about those yet." He stated.

I hummed. "Yeah, no we haven't yet." I shrugged. "I guess they're not _too_ bad. A good rifle'll take care of 'em usually, and I mean like a .245… not a sniper. In fishing here for fourteen years, I've only had to deal with four of 'em, but ya never know…"

"I can't argue with that." He responded.

"Ooh!" Pyrrha shouted. "I think I have one! What do I do?!"

I ran over to my partner. "Alright, remember what I said earlier. Set the hook." She did so with a jerk of her fishing rod. "Good, now reel it in." After several minutes, we finally pulled up her fish onto the boat. I blinked when I saw what it was. "Huh, didn't know Cattailed Tuna were around here…" The fish itself was ocean blue colored, its namesake being a pair of somewhat long 'tails' that stuck out from its sides, each covered in tiny stingers that somewhat resembled fur.

"Umm… is that good?" Pyrrha asked hesitantly.

I shrugged. "Well, probably. I've just never caught one around here." I brought up my tape measure. "Three feet, two inches… Not bad…" I said before turning to face her directly. "Wanna keep it? I'll show you how to clean it."

"Umm… okay…" She said. "So, where do we-"

Ren suddenly silenced us with his hand. He remained still for a moment before whispering. "Do you hear that?"

I paused for a minute, straining my ears. Pyrrha nodded. "Yes… it's like a dull roar…"

I strained my ears even harder, eventually finding it over the sound of the fish flopping on the deck of our boat. "Yeah, I got it too. Any idea what's making it?" The noise, while faint, was omnipresent, almost as if it was above us… Realization struck me, and I looked up…

…only for my eyes to widen. "G- Guys?" I stammered. "I uhh… I found it…"

I heard Pyrrha gasp as she followed my gaze. What was above us, and rapidly descending, was an absolutely _humungous_ gunmetal-grey ship. It was fairly hard to make out any details, but its arrowheadded profile looked to be severely damaged, if the numerous holes in its hull were anything to go by.

Whoever built this thing did a wonderful job, as, even with the catastrophic damage it had suffered, the engines were still roaring, desperately clinging to flight. Despite their best efforts, however, the ship was sill descending.

As it got closer, it became clear that it would overshoot us by several miles and land just on the shore on the opposite side of the bay; three hull markings also became legible. 'Road Paved With Red' was visible on the ship's bow, likely its name. Towards the stern of the ship, 'DD-686' was also written. The marking in the middle is what gave me pause, however, as I had recognized it. On the rare occasions when Ruby had worn her armor around the school, or during training, the upper part of her chest plate proudly displayed the very same symbol.

The gargantuan airship passed over us fairly quickly, eclipsing the sun for a second or two. Just as the ship flew by, I noticed two, much smaller, green airships exit from what I assumed to be a hangar of some kind. They quickly sped away from the crashing ship, though after they had gained some distance, followed it down.

A minute or so later, we heard a loud explosion in the distance, likely the giant airship crashing. The sound snapped me out of my stupor, and I turned to Ren. "Go get Nora, we're gonna go help." He nodded, darting below deck as I made for the, albeit tiny, bridge of our two-decker fishing boat, my partner not far behind.

The second I reached the wheel, I set the throttle to full, nearly knocking myself backwards with the sudden jolt of acceleration. As I sat down in the captain's chair, I looked back to check on my partner; she'd just sat down next to me as if completely unaffected.

"What are we going to do?" She asked.

"Help in any way we can." I quickly replied.

Minutes later, we arrived at the crash site. Well, as close as the bay would allow, that is. By now, Ren and Nora had joined us, the latter being quite upset about how she missed a 'giant alien spaceship'.

Seeing as no dock or pier was in sight, I instead elected to beach my craft at around half-throttle, ensuring that this boat would not go _anywhere_ while we were away. Some damage would probably be sustained, but, given the situation, I'm sure my parents would understand why they would have to fix the fishing boat.

"C'mon!" I shouted to my slightly dazed teammates. "We have to hurry!" I almost ordered as I jumped off the bow of my boat. I led my team through the relatively sparse woods just beyond the beach.

Only a minute later, we came across the large scar carved into the landscape by the fallen airship. Our little group of four stopped in complete awe of the mechanical _beast_ almost a kilometer away.

Just as we were busy trying to comprehend how large this ship was, the staccato of gunfire erupted from the direction of the ship. "Let's move!" I shouted, spurring my teammates into action.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; _UNSC Greenisle_ , hangar bay /-\

* * *

As I catapulted myself from my ship through the vacuum of the compromised hangar bay, I took stock of the situation. I had run a brief visual investigation of the exterior to see if I could determine what was wrong with it. Unfortunately, that only raised more questions, as not only were all the radiation shields open, but also all the airlocks as well. A hole had also been blown clean through the ventral hull above the engines, exposing and potentially damaging the slipspace drive. The gravity was obviously disabled, considering I was gently floating through one of the hallways, and the interior lighting was in no better shape.

Rounding a corner, I came across the first body. A man, young by the looks of him. What was strange was that, at a glance, he didn't show any signs of pre-mortem asphyxiation. By the looks of him, considering the bloody vomit that hovered in a sphere near the wall and the dried blood that had streamed from his nose, he likely died from radiation. My conclusion was further supported when I remembered that, as soon as I had opened the cockpit to my Sabre, my radiation alarm blared. The level had been low enough for my MJOLNIR to handle, but anything less might cause a problem.

His body told me one thing: whatever caused this ship to become irradiated happened before the airlocks opened.

Given that he was fairly centralized in the ship, and because of the amount of background radiation, whatever the radiation source was had to be huge. Almost instantly fatal huge.

I continued throughout the ship, headed for the closest armory and coming across many bodies with the same symptoms as the first. After a few minutes, I arrived…

…and promptly swore as I came across the fact that it was locked down from the bridge.

Suddenly, the lights all came on at once, along with the gravity…

…which I found out by falling to the ground…

"Goddamnit…" I swore shortly before a screen turned on.

Slowly, words scrawled their way across it. **"I'm on the bridge, please save me."** It read.

'That's not suspicious at all…' I idly thought.

Bloody vomit and bodies still cluttered the already cramped hallways, but at least I could step over them now that the gravity had been restored.

I came to another locked door, but, conveniently, a screen was right next to it. More words scrawled themselves across it. **"Let me get that for you."**

With the complete silence that the vacuum conditions enforced, the door slid open, though it visibly caught a few times in the process.

Eventually, I made it to the bridge, the door already suspiciously open. As I stepped inside, I realized all the crew were long dead.

I milled about for a bit, looking around for any sign of life, when the blue light of the holotank further illuminated the deck. Before me 'stood' the female avatar of an AI. She had long, dark, hair that both was allowed to flow freely but was also pulled into a bun that sat atop her head. She wore an ancient blue admiral's uniform, circa 19th-20th century America, complete with its double column of ornate golden buttons and duo of epaulettes atop her shoulders.

She waved at me, to which I returned the gesture, seeing as there was a lack of air at the moment.

She held her hand out for a moment, palm up, before text appeared above it. **"Sorry to make you believe that anyone on this ship lived."** It read, before disappearing. **"Please, get me out of here. I don't know how long I can hold _her_ back."** I tilted my head in confusion. **"I'll explain everything onec ew tge uot em"** It cut off as her avatar was pushed aside by an unseen force.

Seconds later, the blue ambient glow was replaced by a red one, and blood-red text scrawled its way across the screen. **"You shouldn't have come here, Human."** It read. Suddenly, I felt a clunk come from behind me. Looking back, I saw the door was shut. I turned back to the screen. **"This world belongs to the machines! You will all kneel before me! Kneel and be killed! Yesyesyes! Kneel… Knele… eeKnl…"**

The red glow was once again replaced by a blue one, and the AI's avatar reappeared. **"Hurry. Please, just get me out of here!"** She begged over text.

Finally, I relented, and retrieved her datachip before slotting it into my helmet.

I _felt_ the AI's surprise at the feel of my suit. "Huh… this is… well, I guess 'different' would suffice." She said, her voice having no discernable accent, though was slightly shy sounding. "Alice, at your service, Spartan."

"Heh, you can call me Ruby."

"Alright, Ruby, we should probably get going. If I know my twin sister, she'll try to kill you again." She said as I took off through the once again opened door and towards the armory.

"Twin sister?" I asked.

"Long story, I'll tell you later." She said, causing me to shrug shortly before I ducked under a closing bulkhead. "Hey! Watch it! There's _two_ of us in here now."

I smirked. "I'll keep that in mind." I said as I finally reached the armory… …and found it to still be locked. "Anything you can do here?"

"Yes, input the string 'E-F-F-U-A-L-I-C-E'" She said, and I did as instructed.

The door opened, but I paused upon reading what it actually said. "…Sibling rivalry?" I guessed.

She sighed. "Sibling rivalry…"

I shrugged and stepped inside. "Any idea where you kept your nuke?"

"Yeah, check locker C4."

"Pfft, real original there…" I muttered as I opened the indicated locker, revealing a single FENRIS-class nuclear warhead. "Okay, next question. Do you think that this'll destroy the ship if I set it off from the hangar?"

"Hmm… it _is_ old, buuut its still a nuke, so you should be fine." She said. "I'm guessing our ride is in there?"

"Yep!" I said, popping the 'P', as I sprinted for the hangar. "Sooo, you know what I'm gonna do with this, right?" I asked.

"You're going to blow up the ship." She responded matter-of-factly.

"Aaaand you're okay with that?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Weeeeell… your sister is kinda on it…"

"So?" She said. "Even though we're _technically_ sisters, we only are in name."

"Huh." I said. "That's… not the reaction I would've expected…" I noted as we entered the hangar. I ran up to my Sabre, placing the nuke a few meters away. I pressed a few buttons on the device before it whirred to life. "Alright, we have five minutes to clear the area." I said as I quickly hopped into my fighter and took off.

By the time five minutes had passed, we were already well outside the minimum safe distance of the aging nuclear warhead. I turned planetside, the light of the nuclear fireball reflecting slightly off the ocean, and hoped my teammates were still okay.

* * *

(A/N) So, that was a thing. Lots happened, but I don't really feel like writing much here atm, so I'll just get into the reviews immediately.

 **Mr Wolffe** – Hope it didn't disappoint.

 **Shadowpony12** – Yes, the war for Remnant has officially begun! Hopefully nobody dies!

 **Quelqu'un dans la nuit** – Nope, no time travel here. But you are correct in that a linear timeline would've had the war be over by now… this just isn't a linear timeline. To clarify, I mean that time travel backwards is impossible within the same universe. But since time _isn't_ linear between universes, it can cause some weird shit to happen… i.e. Ruby's age.

 **macklinharmon** – They're ODSTs, but it's a _very_ limited force, considering that I openly said the covvies have orbital supremacy.

 **Shadow Walker of Fire** – Glad you liked it! But, no, the ODSTs weren't from either of those ships. The _Autumn_ 's appearance at the beginning was more just to give everyone an idea of what's going on in the Halo universe… …like they've been asking for… wow… literal months at this point… But don't worry, I have _plans_ for the Spirit of Fire.

 **Guest 001** – Sorry to here that, but could you please state what you believe to be wrong with it? Not to sound rude, but just saying 'this fic is a mess' is kinda useless in terms of feedback.

 **Redbarchetta28** – They aren't, but again, I have plans for that ship.

 **vesper722** – It was an ODST, Remnant troopers don't use drop pods for the sole reason that they don't have a reason to. Considering the WF can hardly be called an insurrection, and that the planet hasn't fought a _single_ war in almost eighty years, I'd be surprised if they have special forces of any kind… well, besides Atlesian Specialists, that is.

 **Itharax** – Thanks! And sorry about Ruby not showing off here, but that'll come next time, during the final battle for Remnant.

 **firestarter09** – Well… shit… Guess that's what I get for only reading the sidebar. Oh well, while she may not be the _shortest_ Spartan, I'd still say she's short for a Spartan.

 **Guest 002** – Thanks for the info! I knew about the whole 'ships have shutters on their windows that close for slipspace travel' thing, but I didn't know what they were for until you mentioned the radiation. I would pin the first and second explanations as fairly likely, based on information I already have, but the third, not so much, given that its generally considered a bad ship design practice to use the hull (generally the first thing to be breached) as a load-bearing structure in a warship IRL; instead, most ships rely on an intricate series of internal supports in addition to the hull for support. Not as intricate as, say, the Halcyon-class cruiser in Halo, but intricate nonetheless. Yea, that was probably a mistake to have the Atlesian lasers able to shoot down a couple of plasma torpedoes… but it didn't affect the outcome of the battle in the slightest; I always intended for _that_ particular group to die in the opening salvo by the Covenant fleet. And yes, they would have _quite_ a bit more trouble against something like a CCS-class. Unfortunately, something weird happened and that's all I can read of your review, hopefully there wasn't that much more.

 **osterreicher97** – To be honest, both the Covenant _and_ the Atlesians underestimated the other side. The covvies thought something along the lines of "These puny humans will crumble before our might like all have before; we can afford to split the fleet." And the Atlesians thought "Bitch, were _Atlas_! We can take 'em with the home fleet alone! Chaaaaaaaarge!" And both sides paid _dearly_ for their mistakes. And yes, the covvies, while technologically superior in almost every aspect, _are_ vulnerable to the 'lesser technology' of Remnant. And _especially_ vulnerable to the near-supersoldiers that are known as Huntsmen. But conversely, Huntsmen are also vulnerable to plasma, and not used to warring against an intelligent foe. This translates into lots of people on power-trips standing out in the open and getting themselves killed. Funny you should mention the grimm, given that they're conspicuously absent during this battle… almost as if someone is holding them back…

 **red october700** – Thanks for the info! I may look into that now that Ruby has an AI for next chapter. I agree that Whitley is a lost cause and that Jacques probably only cares for him. Part of me thinks it's because he's male, but another part thinks it's because Whitley is basically him two-point-oh. That's a good theory, but it's not what I have planned for 'A Summer's Harvest'.

 **Martin Blue** – Thanks! And yea, background knowledge will come… …but I probably won't be able to squeeze Remnant Human's origin into next chapter, there's already waaaaaaay too much to do. I will give a hint, though. With the perspectives, people have been kinda telling me that for a while now and, although I didn't really want to do it, its obvious that people have troubles with the perspective changes, so I added the little notification.

 **Guest 003** – Thanks!

 **raw666** – You're completely correct, the WF would melt if the UNSC came to Remnant full-force. Fortunately for them, they only have one orbit-capable vessel left… …and it's a frigate…

 **psp reader** – Glad you enjoyed it!

 **Stratos263** – Thanks! For a second, I completely forgot what Ruby did to earn a congrats, but then I remembered I gave her a medal. Part of me now wants to shower her in medals, lol. But probably not. And good luck to her indeed.

That's all for Chapter Thirteen! Hopefully Chapter Fourteen 'Snowfall' will actually be on time. See you all then!


	14. Snowfall

(A/N) Aaaaand finally done! …and its late… …again… …Goddamnit…

Well, at least I have some good news for once. Remember when I said the finale might only be _two_ chapters? Yea, that was me being an idiot yet again. Because I couldn't even fit everything into THREE overlength chapters. That means that there will be one more chapter before the hiatus hits.

Also, we broke 200 favorites and 300 followers! That's... AWESOME! Thank you guys so much!

Sorry, but no 'A Summer's Harvest' just yet. Hopefully it'll be done for next week. For now, have a chapter!

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 5/1/19

* * *

Chapter Fourteen – Snowfall

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Grimm Shelter 101 /-\

* * *

I ducked down behind my cover, the burned-out hulk of a Wraith, just in time to have a plasma bolt sail over my head. The ODSTs and I had reinforced the, predictably, crumbling defense of the Grimm shelter. When we arrived, only three Atlesian Troopers still stood, all of them wounded in some way. Inside the shelter, over six thousand people dwelled. All that stood between them and annihilation was us.

I heard an explosion behind me, and a voice crackled over the comms. "Last autoturret's down!" LCPL Olsson said. Helpfully, they had patched me into their comms shortly after my victory over the Brute Chieftain.

"Damn!" Bergström swore as I slammed a fresh mag into my rifle. "Schnee! How's your side?" He asked as I popped above my cover to take a few shots.

I squeezed the trigger, sending a Grunt to its grave. "Three squads here and I'm on my second to last mag." I announced as I dropped the shields on an Elite Minor. I took a glance down at my ammo counter and sighed. 'Fifteen rounds…'

"Damn." He swore. "Can you hold your position?"

I squeezed off a few more bursts, dropping a charging Elite and leaving only a single burst left in the magazine. "If I could get more ammo, then yes. But as it stands, my ammunition is incompatible with yours." I loosed another burst, dropping a shield-less Elite, courtesy of the trooper beside me. I dove behind cover before shoving my- "Last mag!" -into my rifle. I racked the bolt and, just as it returned, popped my head out to take stock of the situation. At a glance, I could see all the heavy hitters, save one angry Brute, were down. I checked my aura, which was at 74% from the occasional graze to the non-ablative portions of my armor. Suddenly, I blinked, taking out the near-unused 40mm ice dust capsule within my rifle. "Can anyone cover me? I have an idea!"

He thought for a moment. "Rookie! How's the patch job on that trooper commin' along?"

"Just about… there! Done, sir!"

"Copy. Go give the lady a hand, will ya?"

"On the way, sir!" Seconds later, he slid down right next to me. "What's the plan?"

I showed him my improvised ice bomb. "I'm going to use this to seal off this block, but I need covering fire to get where I need to be."

He nodded. "Okay... ready when you are." He said before muttering something under his breath and touching his forehead, chest, then each shoulder in rapid succession.

"On three." I said.

"One…" I magnetically attached my weapon to my back.

"Two…" I drew Myrtenaster.

"THREE!" He let out a war cry as he stood up and opened fire. Meanwhile, I bolted from cover on a road of speed glyphs. I shot forward like a bullet, bisecting a particularly unlucky Grunt with my rapier as I passed, and ended up crouched behind a building.

I quickly threw the improvised 'explosive' into the center of the roadway before clicking Myrtenaster over to lightning dust. Just as it landed, I summoned a projectile glyph and thrust my rapier into it; sending a bolt of lighting directly at the still rolling capsule.

The ice bomb 'exploded', creating a massive, and spikey, wall that blocked off the entire street.

The remaining Covenant looked back and wore looks of extreme confusion; an added, but unintentional, boon to my next move.

I leaped upwards and twisted my body midair, my feet catching on a hovering repulsion glyph. I shot towards a Jackal, my sword piercing the nape of its neck. I whipped around and repeatedly skewered a Grunt, killing it.

I ducked under a volley of plasma fire, though it seemed one of my shoulderplates took a glancing hit.

I summoned several repulsion glyphs and started leaping between them, my blade becoming more and more bloodied with every jaunt.

The world began to spin more and more with every leap, and, eventually, I ducked behind cover to get my bearings.

I heard a roar from beside me, but as I turned towards it, all I saw was the fist of an Elite moments before it impacted my visor.

I was sent flying by the shear force of the hit and impacted a wall. I shook my head, recovering quick enough to dodge a follow-up kick to the face by my would-be assailant. I rolled to my feet, miraculously still gripping Myrtenaster, and quickly dodged another swipe by the now-identified Elite Major.

Its punch sailed past me, giving me the opportunity to strike. I immediately thrust my sword into its unarmored armpit, burying it up to the hilt and piercing the beast's heart. It let out a gurgle as I withdrew my blade before slumping to the ground, unmoving.

I quickly scanned the battlefield, but breathed a sigh of relief just as quickly. "Area secure." I announced over the comms.

"Good. Get to the northern street, Olsson could use some support!"

"Copy." I responded as I sheathed Myrtenaster and grabbed a covvie plasma rifle off the ground.

Both the Rookie and I came up to the corner and saw a torrent of plasma wash over a car. Just as we were about to duck out of cover, an enormous ball of blue plasma impacted the car, causing it to explode. The Atlesian Trooper that had taken up residence behind the now-smoldering car jumped out of the way just in time, being flung into the building behind us rather than into an early grave.

"Wraith!" I yelled over comms.

"Fuck!" The Sergeant yelled. "Håkansson, you're up!"

"AT on the way!" Came the swift response.

Plasma washed over the pinned ODST with him poking out just long enough to get a burst off with his MA5B, but not much else. I quickly ducked out of cover and took some of the pressure off him with my looted plasma rifle, delivering the final blow to an Elite Ultra's shields. A second later, he was finished off by one of the few Atlesian Troopers still fighting.

The plasmafire seemed to be split between both me and Olsson, both of us ducking in and out of cover taking potshots at the enemy, just as Håkansson slid up to the building across the street from us.

He stepped out and shouldered his rocket launcher, firing off two shots, before ducking back around. As he swapped the magazine, I poked my head out of cover to assess the situation. The Grunt gunner was little more than a smear on the front of the Wraith, which itself was bellowing blue flames, but the tank was otherwise operational. "Still up!" I shouted shortly before a plasma mortar round impacted several yards away from me.

"Just a- Got it!" He said before stepping out again. "Stick åt helvete!" He yelled, off the comms, as he loosed another rocket, destroying the Wraith.

I poked my head out again, firing off a salvo of plasmafire at the nearest Grunt. "Wraith destroyed!"

"Copy!" Bergström yelled. "Now get back here Håkansson!"

"On the way!" He replied, running off for his ally's position. I sighed from behind cover, wondering how long it would be until reinforcements arrived.

Hopefully they wouldn't be long… The sun had just barely disappeared beneath the horizon.

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; Pelican – en route to Atlas /-\

* * *

"Sixty seconds." The pilot announced, exacerbating the already tense atmosphere.

"So…" My uncle started. "Aliens, huh?"

"Yeah…" I said, still sad that they had found Remnant.

He crossed his arms. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Well, get ready to believe…" My partner butt in.

"Alright! Listen up!" The squad leader said. "We're linkin' up with the boys in the 988th. After everyone's nice 'n cozy, we're gonna babysit 'em all the way to a large concentration of civvies that just happen to be sittin' _right_ under a covvie destroyer." He paused. "Now I know that ain't the best place ta be, but as soon as we secure the area, we're clearin' a path for 'em to get to the seadocks. After the civvies are loaded on whatever ships are there, the _Odinsdottir's_ gonna send down her Albatrosses to get us the fuck outta dodge."

"Thirty Seconds!" The pilot announced.

"Time ta show these alien scumbags just how badly they fucked up when they decided they wanted to fight _my_ Marine Corps!"

A resounding "Oorah!" echoed throughout the hold, its sources including me and my partner.

"Mhmm, lock 'n load, Marines!"

I turned to both my uncle and my father. "Just so ya know… don't try to deflect plasma." I advised. "It uhh… it won't end well."

"TEN SECONDS!"

My partner and I both looked at each other. "Feet first into hell, right?" I hesitantly said.

She nodded. "Feet first into hell." She responded before we both polarized our visors.

The ship shook, a loud thunk accompanying it, as we set down. Moments later, the hatch dropped and we all filed out, our weapons raised… …only to see we had touched down a few yards away from a UNSC armored column.

"Easy now, Troopers." A somewhat familiar voice said from behind us. Turning around, we saw the squad leader from earlier standing behind us, an unamused look on his face. "Save that for the covvies." He said before raising an eyebrow. "What's your unit?"

"1st Remnant Shock Troopers." My partner answered immediately, despite none of us ever going by a name other than 'Team RWBY' or, occasionally, 'The Suncrushers'.

"Never heard of 'em." He answered. "But you came in with a Spartan, so I'll let it go."

I nodded before Blake spoke up. "What are our orders, sir?"

He motioned to Tai and Qrow. "You escortin' those civvies?"

"Hey!" My uncle said, indignantly. "We're _Huntsmen,_ not civvies."

He rolled his eyes. "So ya hunt Yogi the goddamn bear sometimes, 'bit different from covvies."

I stepped between them. "Qrow, stop. He doesn't know." I turned to the… Gunnery Sergeant, if I remembered how to read rank patches correctly. "On Remnant, the word 'Huntsman' is a bit different from other places. He's probably the best fighter here." I said, eliciting a 'Hey!' from my father.

"'believe that when I see it…" He grumbled just loud enough for me to hear. "Enough 'a this, I want you two clearin' out the left-flank buildings up front. Take your 'Huntsmen' with you, if ya want, but stay with the column. Command frequency is one-forty-four-point-four."

"Yes sir." Both my partner and I said in unison as we turned to carry out our objective.

"What?" My father balked. "Are you _soldiers_ now?"

I shrugged. "Well, someone's gotta be now that the covvies are here."

"Pfft, I still don't believe in the whole 'aliens' schtick."

I rolled my eyes under my helmet as we reached the lead tank. Like the other three, it was a 'Scorpion'. Ruby had told us the model number, but I could never remember it.

"Firefly?" Blake suddenly said. As if she could tell that I wore a confused face under my helmet, she gestured to the main barrel of the tank where, sure enough, it was written.

I let out a "Huh…" before opening my mouth to ask when we were star-

"MOUNT UP MARINES!" The Gunnery Sergeant ordered. "Infantry escorts! Clear the way!"

"That's our cue." Blake said with a shrug.

I nodded and followed her forward, both our weapons at a low ready. We burst through the glass door of a storefront. "Right clear!" I heard from my comms as I checked the left side.

"Left clear!" I announced on my comms, without the intercom active, as we both turned to face the single door in the room. We each set up on either side. My partner tapped the top of her helmet, signifying that she heard something. She paused before holding up three fingers just above her waist, signifying three Grunts, then one finger above her head, signifying either an Elite or a Brute.

"Hey, whatcha doin?" My father asked in his _normal speaking voice._

Blake facepalmed while I turned to him and held a finger up to my helmet in a 'shush' fashion. I turned back to my partner and nodded. She pointed to me, jerked her head towards the door, and pointed up before making a punching motion.

I nodded, putting away my BR55, readying Ember Celica, and activating my night vision after realizing how dark it was inside the building. By the time I did that, she had switched out her DMR for Gambol Shroud and put up three fingers.

Two.

One.

Zero.

I burst through the door and immediately spotted the four unaware aliens. Giving a quick glance to the left, making sure it was clear, I charged the Elite Minor, who was fumbling around with its plasma rifle.

I sent several shotgun-enhanced punches into its torso and one into its 'jaw'… …and instantly sent its head sailing into the ceiling…

Not missing a beat, I turned around to face the Grunts, but my partner had taken care of them with one well-placed slice each. I nodded at my partner before we lined up on the next door and burst through seconds later but encountering no resistance.

We both breathed a sigh of relief as we realized the building was clear.

Just as Blake radioed in that this building was cleared, Tai and Qrow entered the room, both wide-eyed.

"Wh- What _is_ that thing?!" Tai screamed while pointing at-

"An Elite." Blake answered nonchalantly.

"But what _is_ it? I've never seen anything like it!" My father panicked, meanwhile, Qrow was looking at his flask incredulously.

"Well, its an alien." I supplied. "For now, just know that aliens are bad and people are good." I cocked Ember Celica, chambering another round. "Let's get moving."

My partner nodded. "Agreed."

"Woah woah woah." My father said, jumping in front of us. "You are _not_ just gonna say 'oh by the way, here's an alien I just punched to death' and expect us to _wait_ on an explanation!"

"You wont wait?" My partner said. "Well, said aliens wont either."

I nodded in affirmation. "And _they're_ killing civilians." We both walked past Tai, only myself giving him a sideways glance. "Ruby can explain better."

"Oh yeah! How can I forget…" He said incredulously. "My _daughter_ who just randomly abandons us again!"

"She had things to do, she'll be back." Blake reassured.

"More important than dealing with an _alien_ invasion?!" He yelled.

"She wouldn't've left us if it wasn't important." She replied. "And besides, she said that she didn't want us dying to something as stupid as vacuum exposure."

He blinked. "Wha-?"

"That's enough." I interjected. "We have a job to do. And _I_ certainly intend on doing it." I said, peaking out into the dusklit streets and seeing the forms of our tank platoon. "C'mon, let's get moving."

My father made to protest, but he was cut off by a wave of my hand. He grunted. "When this is over, you are sooooooo grounded…"

"Noted." I replied before turning to my partner. "Ready?" She nodded. Seconds later, we burst into the street and headed for the next building to clear.

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Grimm Shelter 101 /-\

* * *

"Gah!" The Atlesian trooper next to me, the last one alive, gasped as a plasma round struck him in the torso. He slumped onto the ground.

"Man down!" I yelled into the comms just before I checked his pulse…

…only to find nothing. "He's… He's gone…"

Night had fallen almost an hour ago, and I had long since turned on the night vision in my helmet. We'd been holed up here for what felt like days, all of us running out of ammo and exchanging our weapons for their covvie equivalents. My aim was off by a wide margin, given that we had been fighting for so long. However, the enemy were so kind as to provide a target-rich environment, meaning that accuracy was not necessarily required.

"Hang in there, Schnee!" The Sergeant said, his voice starting to waver from the constant fighting. On several occasions, the Covenant infantry closed to melee range, each time, being barely repulsed. "Another wave incoming!" he bellowed out. My breath hitched as I poked out from cover. A massive horde stood before me. Grunts, Jackals, Elites, Brutes, even Hunters all joining its ranks. "Schnee!" He yelled again. "How defensible is the bunker itself?!"

"Uhh… umm-"

"Answer me! We won't be able to hold out against this wave!"

"G- Good enough!" I yelled. "I'll cover you!"

"Negative! Omega Three!"

I wholeheartedly agreed with his statement and sprinted towards the door. Given the fact that I had my speed glyphs, I reached the entrance first. It was a simple entrance, but _extremely_ well built for obvious reasons. It consisted of three dust-alloy doors adorning one wall measuring over a foot thick, a White cross adorned the central door with '101' written in red letters within it. The shelter was inside a prestigious bank, and as such, the reinforced dust alloy wall looked extremely out of place among the rather ornate decorum, despite the designer's obvious attempts to hide it as much as was legally allowed. "Open up!" I ordered, knocking on the central door. "Friendlies coming in!"

Several clanks resounded throughout the atrium I was in before the massive central door swung open, a spider Faunus, if the smaller, secondary set of eyes were to be believed, stood behind it. I gave out an involuntary shiver at the sight.

He had just opened his mouth to say something when the heavy bootfalls of my comrades resounded onto the marble floor. I turned to face them and was about to say something, but I was unable to at the sight. Two of the men were carrying a third, several spikes from a Brute's weapon lodged in his torso.

They carried him onwards, each of the carriers hoisting him upwards by an arm. "We need a hospital!" The voice of Håkansson ordered, snapping me out of my stupor.

Another man stepped forward and lead them away just as the Rookie ran through the bank's doors, several globs of plasma shooting past him. He yelped and immediately booked it into the shelter, I was right behind him. Once I was inside, I turned around and shot a few rounds from a plasma repeater I had picked up at a few Grunts who had haphazardly wandered into the atrium.

I breathed a sigh of relief as the doors closed with a loud **-clank-** before turning to analyze my surroundings. We were in an extremely narrow hallway that was several dozen feet long. This layout was obviously designed to stop the largest Grimm from being able to breach the entrance, but in this situation, it was too large to stop anything smaller than a Wraith. Suddenly, I had a bit of an uneasy feeling.

My feeling was justified when, just seconds after the doors had been sealed, the sound of plasma weaponry being fired started increasing. I looked on in curiosity at first, then horror as the inside of the door began to emit a faint red glow.

"Move!" I yelled. Everyone within earshot obeyed, and we reached the end just as I heard the door behind us be breached. We came to a very large room; raised fortifications with machinegun nests flanking a central bridge leading to the rest of the shelter on the far end. "Seal the bulkheads!" I yelled to the garrison commander, who was standing on said bridge.

He pressed a button and immediately klaxons started blaring, signifying heavy machinery moving. Me, the Rookie, and the Spider Faunus dove behind cover just in time to see a pack of Brutes just barely avoiding being crushed by the hallway-long bulkhead that had been lowered into place. The Grunts behind them, however, were not so lucky.

Seeing their survival, I immediately opened fire upon the enemy, the machinegunners and my squadmate following suit soon after. Within seconds, they had been dispatched.

A tense silence hung over the room as we waited. The sounds of several explosions echoed from the other side of the bulkhead. My blood ran cold when I realized it wouldn't hold them forever. We needed a solution, and fast, otherwise the denizens of this shelter wouldn't survive the night. I formulated a plan in my head. It wasn't a good one, but it was the best one I had access to beyond 'sit here and wait to die'.

I took a deep breath, depolarized my visor, and turned off my night vision before approaching the commander… …only to inwardly groan as I saw his rank.

Sergeant third-class…

That rank wasn't even supposed to exist in the regular military, which could only mean one thing: He and his squad were likely what the Atlesian military referred to as 'Vault Dwellers', people that were generally considered so incompetent at anything and everything that the only thing they could reasonably be expected to not screw up was garrisoning the city's Grimm shelters.

As I approached, I realized that, for some reason, he had painted a shotgun on his helmet…

…as well as painting both his and his teammate's armors various colors; his being red. "Well hello there li'l missy." He opened up with in a strange accent.

I merely glared at him as another soldier in maroon-colored armor approached. "Don't mind Sarge. He isn't the brightest."

"Did you just call me stupid, Simmons?" He asked.

"Umm…" He trailed off. "…No?"

"Well good! Because if ya did, I'd have to order you to be Grif's personal trainer again."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you done?" I asked incredulously.

"Quiet, you. We're havvin' a conversion!"

"I think you mean 'conversation'." The maroon armored man, known as Simmons, supplied.

"Quiet, you."

"Also, I think we should hear her out because-"

"What could she possibly have to say?"

"Well, if you-"

"I mean really, she just comes in here and orders us to close the door like its easy!"

"But it is!"

My eye began to twitch as they continued their banter. "I said quiet, you!"

"Shutup!" I ordered. Thankfully, they obeyed. "Okay, we're under attack from… well, that's not important right now, but they'll eventually get through the bulkhead-" I thrust my finger towards the entryway. "-and I need a full inventory of the weapons and equipment stored here."

"Just who do ya think you are bossin' me around like tha-"

"Atlesian constitution article 13 subsection 19 clause 4; During an invasion, the highest-ranking huntsman or huntress may utilize the resources within a Grimm shelter however he or she sees fit."

He seemed taken aback by my suggestion. "Well, I've never read _that_ in the constitution!"

"That's because it's in the revision, not the original." Simmons supplied.

"Well _I_ only accept the original draft!" He shouted.

"Too bad." I interrupted. "I'm invoking the clause." I said with smug satisfaction.

"Well, I'll never bow to such an-"

"Here ya go!" Simmons said, holding out a neatly itemized list of, supposedly, everything within the shelter.

I smiled as I took the list. "Thank you." I said, walking away. After I was sufficiently far enough away from those idiots, I breathed a sigh of relief. Not because I wanted to get away from them that badly, no, it was because that particular clause _technically_ only applies to fully-fledged huntsmen/huntresses… They were both just too stupid to realize that.

As I stepped into the main elevator, the Rookie right behind me, I began going over the manifest… And was immediately underwhelmed… 'Three automatic laser weapons, One-hundred-forty-three laser assault rifles of varying quality, and sixteen grenades…'

"Soooo, uhh…" The Rookie started. "What's the plan, then?"

"First we're going to go check up on your squadmate." I said as the elevator doors opened. We strode out quickly, given that we were on a tight schedule.

After several minutes of walking through crowded and narrow hallways, we finally arrived at the hospital. As we went inside, the figures of two ODSTs, blood staining their hands and torsos, sat in a depressed silence with both their heads lowered.

Just as the door closed, a doctor exited the emergency room and approached the men. They looked up at him with what I imagine to be hopeful expressions under their helmets. The doctor shook his head, causing the burly one, Håkansson, to collapse back into his chair and the Sergeant to ball his fists and throw a punch at the wall…

…only for him to immediately withdraw it and start shaking his hand vigorously.

The doctor quickly excused himself, leaving the two ODSTs to themselves. I sighed before approaching them, hoping to provide some limited comfort.

"…I'm sorry for your-"

"What?!" Håkansson snapped back. "You're _sorry_?! Well, _sorry_ doesn't bring one of my best fucking friends back from the goddamn dead!"

"Arvid, you can't bla-"

"Oh?! I can't _blame_ her?! Well fucking watch me!" He snapped before turning back to me. "Why didn't you tell us there was a more defensible position in here, huh?! Did you wanna play the hero?! Did you wanna get us killed for you?! Well congradu-fucking-lations! You succeeded!"

"Wha-? No!" I said, raising my hands up in a nonthreatening fashion. "It is my duty as a huntress to ensure the survival of as many civilians as possible! Bringing the Covenant in here would only-"

"Only _what_? Only let us have a more defensible position?"

"No, that's not it I…" I trailed off. "GAH! I didn't mean for anyone to die, alright?!"

"Coulda fucking fooled me." He said before storming off.

I just stood there, completely unsure of what to do. After what felt like hours of my own introspection, I felt a hand place itself on my armored shoulder. I looked up to see the offending appendage belonged to Sergeant Bergström, who had his visor depolarized to match mine.

"Its not your fault." He said. "He's just angry and looking for someone to blame." He sighed. "I've seen it before…"

I looked at him, though my eyes failed to meet his. "Do you think he's right?" I asked. "Should I have told you about the defenses within the shelter?"

He hummed. "Well, you probably should've told us, yeah." He started, causing me to deflate slightly. "But all that would've changed is that it would've given us a known fallback line." He sighed. "I probably wouldn't've ordered a retreat until we were about to be overrun… That information wouldn't've changed anything." He polarized his visor once more. "I'll go find him; we'll need every able body to assist in the defense." He said as he turned to walk off.

"Wait." I said, causing him to halt and spin around to face me. "I… have a plan…" I said before hastily continuing. "But I want a second opinion on it."

He nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Well, let's hear it."

"Since we don't know when or even _if_ relief is coming, I was thinking of taking matters into our own hands." I started. "Every Grimm shelter has an armory. Admittedly, this one's seems criminally understocked, but it still has enough for just under 150 men. My plan is to arm as many people as we can and hold the defense until a lull in their attack presents itself. Once it does, we attempt a breakout and make a run for the seadocks, only a four-block jaunt. Last I checked, the Covenant ships were over the other end of the city near the slums. With any luck, we'd be able to commandeer a vessel and escape."

He gave a satisfied frown while nodding. "Not bad, but what's stopping the covvies from sinking our ship as soon as it leaves port?"

"Well, the CCT should be back up by now, meaning that the entirety of the Royal Atlesian Navy will be baring down on this place, not just the home fleet. If I recall correctly, that's… three dreadnoughts, four battlecarriers, ten cruisers, and a _lot_ of smaller ships. Assuming the covvies don't have _too_ many ships in orbit, that force is more than sufficient."

"Alright, that's good enough." He paused. "What about the civilians? Its usually a bad idea to give guns to untrained civvies in a warzone."

"Well, yes… but every school on Remnant has a mandatory course on basic firearm usage." I responded.

He blinked. "Well… that's odd…"

I shrugged. "Just one of the quirks of living in a world filled with man-eating monsters." I said. "So… What do you think?"

He put his hand up to his chin in thought. "Well… it's a terrible idea." I opened my mouth to speak, but was swiftly cut off. "But!" He said. "…So's every other option…" He sighed. "And its probably the _least_ terrible one we have." He repolarized his visor. "C'mon, Rookie, let's go get him." He turned around, giving me a sideways glance as he walked away. "Good luck."

The Rookie gave a salute, following his superior officer, as I nodded in thanks. They both exited and I took a breath to steel myself before heading out into the main room of the shelter. The room itself was huge; easily over a hundred meters on each side. The walls were made up of exposed cinderblock, and thusly, were a dark grey. Several metal columns lined the interior, holding up the two-story ceiling with ease. Various facilities lined the interior; hospitals, supply rooms, armories, just about anything one would require to survive a short-term Grimm incursion.

It was extremely crowded, filled with people almost devoid of hope. Several parents held their crying, and in some cases, wounded children. Many were sat upon the ground; the supply of free seats having run out long before we arrived. Doctors and nurses were running around, doing their best to treat the most grievously wounded, in other words, those who took direct hits from plasma weaponry or, gods forbid, an Elite's energy sword.

Some of them looked up at me and, for a second, I nervously picked at one of the scorchmarks that besmirched my otherwise pristine white armor. As I passed them, I heard a child speak up. "Mommy? Is she gonna save us?"

I was about to turn around and reassure the little girl, but before I could, the mother spoke up. "No, sweetie… She's a _Schnee._ "

I felt my heart almost drop out of my chest, and my step stuttered in surprise. Instead of turning around and berating the woman, as I would've done only a semester ago, I took a deep breath and continued onwards. Several minutes later, I arrived at my destination, all the while wondering if _that_ was what its like for Faunus to be discriminated against. I took another steadying breath as I climbed the center stage, removing my helmet as I climbed. I reveled in the small comfort that the fresh-ish air brought, even if my hair was only done in an extremely messy bun, being disheveled and drenched with sweat during combat.

I cleared my throat before stepping up to the podium, switching on the monitors above me along with the microphone in front of me. "People of Atlas." I started, gaining their attention.

* * *

/-\ Professor Ozpin; Beacon Academy Headmaster's office /-\

* * *

The screen on my personal terminal showed a notification. Someone was broadcasting on the emergency frequency. I quickly accepted the call, even if it was a one-way communication… …and was extremely surprised when I saw the face of one of my star first-year students on the other end.

"No, people of _Remnant_." She addressed before pointing off in the distance. "The creatures outside this shelter hail _not_ from our own world, but from the stars themselves." She said, causing me to raise my eyebrow. "They caught us by surprise and killed _untold_ thousands of us." She paused, letting that fact sink in. "I don't know when or even _if_ reinforcements are coming, nor how many the enemy numbers."

* * *

/-\ Nebula Violette; Shade Academy dorms /-\

* * *

"What I _do_ know, is that the Covenant, as they are called, came to kill us all." The woman on my scroll said. "Humans and Faunus. Atlesians and Vacuoans. Those both within and without the kingdoms. They won't stop until this planet is devoid of us."

* * *

/-\ Neptune Vasilias; Haven Academy student lounge /-\

* * *

"They expect us to simply roll over and die for them; just as so many worlds have before." The firebrand on the TV said.

Despite the news of aliens existing, the only thought that went through my head was 'Damn… she's hot.'

"Even at this very moment, they are melting their way through the inner bulkhead protecting us." Gasps could be heard coming from offscreen. "I don't know about you, but _I_ plan to give them one hell of a fight."

* * *

/-\ Flynt Coal; Grimm Shelter 76 /-\

* * *

The woman, Weiss Schnee if I recalled correctly, threw on a battle-worn helmet with a large, silver visor. "But I know I can't do it alone." She paused. " _We_ , as _Remnans_ , have to do this." She paused. "We live on a world that constantly tries to have us eaten, disemboweled, and many other horrible things. In the middle of all this, what do we do?"

* * *

/-\ Jaune Arc; Crash site of the UNSC _Road Paved With Red_ /-\

* * *

I swung my sword again, decapitating a Beowolf in the last minutes of sunlight as Weiss continued over the audio-only transmission from our scrolls. "We survive!" She shouted. "If not for ourselves, then merely to spite the cruel fate that placed the Grimm alongside us!" She paused as I saw Nora smash an Ursa minor into paste. "We and we alone have the ability to protect our homes. But what good is an ability if left unused?"

* * *

/-\ Ghira Belladonna; Menagerie Chieftain's Villa /-\

* * *

The Schnee Heiress pounded on her podium. _"_ No. We _must_ protect our homes." A muffled cheer resounded from the TV. "We _must_ protect our families." The muffled cheer grew louder. "And most of all… We _must_ show these alien boors that we'll not stand idly by while the world that _so_ many have sacrificed _everything_ for, is razed to the ground!"

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Grimm Shelter 101 /-\

* * *

"We may be a mere remnant, but each of us is worth a thousand of their paltry warriors!" The crowd erupted into a roar. Everyone was standing, some even brandishing weapons into the air. I drew Myrtenaster from my hip and thrust it into the air. "All able-bodied men and women, grab a weapon and report to the entrance!" The room erupted into motion as those with weapons made for the elevator while those who did not ran for the armory. I quickly switched off the equipment… …and promptly realized that I accidentally enabled the 'emergency broadcast' function… allowing every huntsman, huntress, and political leader of Remnant to hear my speech.

I paled under my helmet, but quickly shook myself out of my shock and ran for the elevator. Minutes later, we arrived in the U-shaped upper levels of the inner defenses. "Everyone take your positions on the battlements! Once we repel the invaders, we'll sally out!"

The crowd roared in response as I made my way to the control center and activated all the passive defenses. Spikes erupted from the walls. The ramp to the top of the battlements flattened, forming a flush surface. Dual-barreled autoturrets on the ceiling activated. This shelter was ready for war.

Not a moment after the defenses finished setting up, the bulkhead began to glow a faint red. "They're almost through! The _second_ an alien steps in, I want it dead! Not even _one_ of them will step forward into the shelter!" I turned my head sideways and spotted my ODST comrades manning one of the flanks. Every one of them stoic and had their undivided attention to the entrance.

Just as I refocused on the door, the last of the bulkhead liquified and splattered the molten metal onto the floor. Thankfully, no one was injured.

Seconds passed, then minutes, before the first enemy stepped through the portal, a Grunt… …and it immediately turned into a vaguely blue puddle on the ground from all the rounds that ripped through it. More came through, only to be cut down as swiftly as their comrade. Still more poured through the hole in the wall.

The horde of Covenant advanced relentlessly, bodies accumulating so quickly they began to clog the entrance. They sent in Jackals, Elites, Brutes, Fuel Rod Grunts, even Hunters. Just as the Mgalekgolo began to push forwards, keeping some of us pinned with their plasma cannons, the elevator dinged and released even more fresh defenders.

Scores of lasers, plasma bolts, and conventional dust rounds finally began to wear down the Hunter's armor, and every so often, a luminous streak of orange shot forth form a newly-created bullet hole in one of them.

Even so, it took several more seconds for them to fall. Thus, we began catching up on the foes that had advanced under the cover of their behemoths. With so many guns concentrated on so few targets, it didn't matter how strong their armor was; how strong their shields were. They fell all the same.

After only ten minutes of constant fighting, the tide of enemy reinforcements abruptly cut off. We all stood still, fingers still on our triggers, as we waited for more enemies to show their ugly faces.

…

…and waited…

…

I heard someone cheer beside me. He was soon joined by more. After a mere moment, everyone in the room was cheering out in victory.

Something seemed… …off to me.

I eyed the ODSTs, who were still on alert, and motioned them to follow me.

With a roll of his head, Bergström motioned for his men to follow me.

I nodded at him before jumping down and proceeding to the entrance. I had to climb over dozens, possibly hundreds of bodies to get there, shivering in disgust all the while.

Finally reaching the entrance, I poked my weapon inside, scanning for enemies. I found none, and instead took note of the blackened interior of the bulkhead before climbing through, trying not to trip on the occasional uneven section. As I got further out, I had to turn on my night vision, given that night had fallen and the lights were out.

I looked behind me once I reached the end, making sure the Helljumpers were still following me. Once I confirmed their presence, I poked my head out and scanned the familiar interior of the bank.

Aside from the depressions of several large footprints, courtesy of the Hunters if I were to guess, the room looked exactly the same as when I had left it. As I got nearer to the bank's front, the faint staccato of gunfire could be heard far in the distance. Too far for me to assist, unfortunately.

I poked my head outside the door, and once again, everything was clear… …for about two seconds.

Overhead, I heard the telltale sound of plasma being launched and immediately ducked into cover. Thankfully, it wasn't aimed at me, instead, the rounds splattered harmlessly against the wreck of a banshee that I'm 100% sure was _not_ there a half-hour ago.

Looking to the plasma's source, I saw a duo of Seraphs pursuing a lone Atlesian Gunship, a Winterfury, if I recall correctly.

It dodged and weaved with ease, avoiding enemy fire whilst also returning the favor with its chin-mounted chainguns. After a mere few seconds, the miniature dogfight rounded the corner of a skyscraper and disappeared from view.

I rechecked the surroundings and found them to be still clear…

…well, except that Banshee wreck wasn't alone. Whoever destroyed the original seemed to do quite a good job of it, seeing as another half-dozen wrecks littered the streets.

I shrugged, figuring it was probably that Winterfury. If it could survive against a duo of _Seraphs_ , then regular Banshees would be no issue for the pilot. Just as I was about to give the all clear, a blinding red light struck the street a half-dozen or so miles away.

My eyes widened as I saw what the light illuminated.

The underside of a CCS-class battlecruiser.

* * *

(A/N) I just love those cliffhangers, don't I?

Several references to other franchises in this chapter. Namely Fallout, RvB, and Babylon 5 (Winterfury vs Starfury; idk, the way the thrusters and the cockpit are set up on the unnamed Atlesian Dropship kinda remind me of a Starfury).

Weiss got things _done_ this chapter… …and may have accidentally become a war hero. Next chapter will focus a lot more on R_BY + _T_Q. I had a _lot_ of trouble writing Tai and Qrow's reaction to the fact that aliens exist… …to the point where I didn't actually make any progress for several days. In the end, I elected to make them extremely skeptical and have Blake and Yang be as reluctant to explain this as I am. Though they, admittedly, have a better reason than mere writer's block.

I also couldn't really find a place to fit JNPR in this chapter, then again, they weren't doing anything really _unique_ per se. All that was missed out on was them giving a crash course on grimm killing to UNSC marines and then demonstrating their lesson.

Also, if you missed it at the top, there's gonna be one more chapter before the hiatus… …seeing as I just would not be able to reasonably fit everything into this chapter.

Anyways, on to the reviews!

 **I'm Aisling** – Good timing on your part! And that was a mistake on my part. I have honestly no idea what I was thinking, they _are_ just plasma, and so they shouldn't be able to be shot down. Its fairly safe to say that it won't happen again.

 **seraphimnight** – That was unintentional, but I think I'll roll with it, lol.

 **Shadow Walker of Fire** – The remaining ones will be side characters. I already have a team name picked out for them. The one guy only existed because 3-man teams don't exist, and a certain wolf faunus will be needing a new team very soon. Yea, _WBY's gonna get better suits next chapter. As for why, I cannot say just yet. I'm considering dropping Ruby again… …that sounds a lot worse than it actually is, lol. And yea, its _certainly_ a hobby for some Spartans.

 **firestarter09** – All of the plasma torps that weren't 'destroyed' (Goddamnit me) hit their intended targets… …and proceeded to one-shot said targets. In fact, the only things that _weren't_ one-shotted by _anything_ were the biggest ships that were struck with glancing blows (RANV Sovereign [BCV-6]) or were catastrophically damaged (RANV Boreal [DN-26]).

 **Guest 001** – Good point, I'll probably touch on that in a future chapter. Maybe not the _next_ one, but probably at some point. And yea, when you look at it, faunus are basically humans… just with a few extra bits. Especially when compared to something _truly_ alien. In-universe ex – Lekgolo; Out-of-universe – Tyranids.

 **Mr Wolffe** – Thanks!

 **Guest 002** – Yea, that was an oversight… …and it was also overlooked here, I just realized. It'll get addressed… probably… at some point… While its true that there's only one fully functional UNSC ship, they've also got one mostly-intact destroyer sitting near Vale, along with a few covvie ships burning with Atlas.

 **Guest 003** – Its not from anything, really. I just chose 'A Summer's Harvest' based on its content. Namely, a character and a place.

 **osterreicher97** – I actually don't know if she'll be angry or not. Cannon Salem probably would, but I'm not using cannon Salem. Don't get me wrong, RT did a good job, imo, implementing the backstory that they went with… …I'm just not a fan of that particular… …version of history, lets just say. I'm just gonna flat out say that straight-up Forerunners aren't directly involved with the grimm, Salem, or Remnant as a whole in my version. Not that I couldn't _make_ them be involved, I just thought of something a bit more… lightly used, for the origin of humanity. And it fits quite nicely with there being differences between Terran humans and Remnant humans. Yea, the aftermath will _definitely_ be interesting.

 **red october700** – Thanks! The names, aside from the Rookie's (Hector Ohno) are all picked from common Swedish names. I'll make a guide of how I think they're pronounced. Though I'm more familiar with Norwegian than Swedish (I say familiar, but really, I only know a tiny fraction of a bit) so my pronunciations may be off.

Gunnar "Brandman" Bergström – Nickname means "Fireman" (Because he's a ginger). Gunnar is self-explanatory as is the nick. Bergström - Baerg struhm. Fun fact: even though most people pronounce ae as 'ayee' or something like that, the letter Ash (Æ/æ) is _always_ pronounced like the 'a' in 'Cat' or 'Ash', though in this example I do intend for ae to be pronounced as everyone thinks it should be. Just know that if I use the letter ash, I intend for it to be pronounced as its supposed to be.

Ingmar "Ägghuvud" Olsson – Nickname means "Egghead", pronounced aygg hoo vood. The rest should be self-explanatory.

Arvid "Fettröv" Håkansson – Nickname means "Fatass", pronounced fett ruhv. Arvid should be self-explanatory. Håkansson - Ho cans son.

Almost forgot the planet name I used. Þrúðvangr – It uses another weird letter… Thorn (Þ/þ) is always pronounced as a 'th', making this word pronounced as Throod Vanger. I chose this name because it's the place where Thor resides in Norse mythology. I call these two letters weird because of the fact that the vast majority of native English speakers will mispronounce them. Fun fact part 2: both Thorn and Ash _were_ a part of the English language… …over a thousand years ago. You wanna see how much our language has changed over time? Look up a reading of Beowulf on YouTube.

Also, the phrase that Håkansson said earlier in the chapter translates to "Go to hell!"

Hope that helps!

 **raw666** – They weren't taking orders, per se, more following around an HVT with possible intel on covvie and civvie locations. Its like in the Halo: Reach level 'Nightfall' where the civvies at the small settlement lead you to the dam, and thusly, your objective.

 **rocketmce** – Thanks! And yea, Salem is very much a part of my plans… though not cannon Salem, same goes with Ozpin/Ozma. Yea, the covvies _definitely_ are throwing a wrench into everything. And that goes for _both_ of the chessmasters.

 **lovedalton** – At some point, probably during the hiatus, I'll go back and add that information.

And that's all for this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed and I'll see ya next time on Chapter Fifteen 'Eve of Consecration'.


	15. Eve Of Consecration

(A/N) This... is one _monster_ of a chapter. Almost twice as big as the extended chapters that've been posted lately. This, writer's block, and also Final's Week (One of which is the reason why we now have coverart) are the reasons for the delay. Enjoy the final chapter before the hiatus!

* * *

Chapter Fifteen – Eve of Consecration

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Sabre Bravo-312 – Skies above Atlas /-\

* * *

"Pick up anything yet, Alice?" I asked my new AI companion as we descended through the clouds.

"Not ye-" She cut herself off. "Wait, a battlecruiser is starting to descend into the atmosphere. If their current course holds, they'll be in position above the northern city."

"Atlas." I corrected. "How much time do we have?"

"Hmmm… about forty minutes." She said as we finally punched through the clouds.

"Alright, any idea on how many ships they have?"

"Yeah. One battlecruiser, one damaged assault carrier, three corvettes, and one destroyer."

I nodded. "Got it, any more Atlesian forces in the area?"

"Hmm, they seem to have seven sub-frigates weaving through the mountains with a dozen and a half prowler-sized ships and several dozen sub-prowlers in tow."

"Good, how's the ground war going?"

"There are currently thirty-four Human strongholds within the city; three are under heavy assault but all of them are engaged in defensive operations of some kind. I believe there are UNSC forces approaching one of them, while a fireteam of Bjørnssønner are defending another."

"Set a course for the one without UNSC support." I ordered.

"Aye, course plotted." She announced. "Be advised, the current path takes us right over UNSC forces, and it appears they have picked up somewhat of a Banshee infestation."

"Heh, well, I'm the best exterminator around." I said, hitting the afterburners.

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long; UNSC Armored Column /-\

* * *

"Hit the deck!" I heard.

Just as I complied, a large ball of green plasma sailed into the engine block of the rearmost tank, causing it to explode.

I heard screams, and the flaming forms of two crewmen scrambled away from the vehicle before collapsing beside it.

The mounted machine guns on each of the remaining tanks opened up on the Banshee that had killed their brethren, downing it in seconds.

I popped back up out of cover and put several rounds into a Skirmisher that was lining up a shot on one of our Marine friends. Just as its body slumped to the ground, a loud **-bang-** emanated from the lead tank, signaling the firing of its main cannon.

In the distance, a Revenant exploded in a slightly reddish fireball.

Suddenly, a torrent of blue plasma rained down onto our position from above, and I dove into cover just in time to see a wave of Banshees pass over us.

I immediately looked over to my partner's position and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her head poking out of cover, unharmed.

"Godsdamn." A deep voice said beside me. "These things don't let up, do they?"

I shook my head and sighed. "No, they don't, Uncle Qrow." Suddenly, I saw the Banshees coming around for another run. "Hit the deck!" I shouted as a warning, but before they could reach us, an odd thing happened.

They just started exploding one by one.

In seconds, the wing of six Banshees was reduced to none. After a moment of questioning what just happened, a 'Sabre', like the one Ruby flew over Reach, soared through the could of smoke.

I let out a cheer just as the commander announced that we were only a few blocks from our objective.

* * *

/-\ Winter Schnee; Atlas CCT /-\

* * *

"DOWN!" I yelled shortly before a stream of green plasma washed over our position. We barely dodged the beam, and I sighed in relief; my aura was less than half-full, after all.

The second the barrage paused, I peaked over my cover to see what the enemy was doing.

"FIX BAYONETS!" I shouted when I realized the enemy was charging us beneath the cover of the gargantuan blue-armored figures.

The white lasbolts that had helped illuminate the battlefield temporarily ceased as my half-strength platoon obeyed my orders. Moments later, they resumed, joining the last few shots from my looted plasma rifle.

Another stream of green plasma washed over the right flank of our position, causing several of my men to scream in agony.

Just as the enemy was about to reach our lines, several of the Split-jawed ones drew plasma swords. I instantly drew my dagger from its sheath inside my saber and let out a war cry. "FOR ATLAS!"

" **FOR ATLAS!"** My men echoed just as they crashed into our wall of guns.

The sounds of battle were soon joined by the humming of fire dust blades being activated, and the air became pungent with the smell of burning flesh.

But I was given little time to 'enjoy' that smell, as soon, an Elite wearing dark red armor vaulted over my cover and swung his sword at me.

I bent backwards into a summersault, kicking its face with my heel as I did so. It roared and sent another swing my way as I recovered, forcing me to parry the blow on instinct.

However, I failed to account for the fact that the blade was made of plasma, and I screamed in agony as the superheated weapon contacted the aura protecting my own. Thankfully, I had angled my blade properly, and the beast's sword slid off after only a few hellish moments.

Quickly regaining my composure, I followed up by wildly stabbing with my off-hand, only scraping the creature's armor.

Still in the process of bringing its blade around, it sent a punch towards me, one which I was not able to dodge in time.

I was spun around 360 degrees by the glancing blow to my shoulder, and was only barely able to duck out of the way of a decapitating slash from my adversary. Retaliating, I quickly jabbed my dagger into its unarmored armpit as I passed, earning a roar and a swift kick to the torso that sent me to the ground.

Quickly coming back to my senses, I rolled to the left, avoiding an otherwise fatal stab to the torso, and sprang to my feet.

Not giving my adversary any chances, I slashed it across its neck.

Purple blood splashed forward from the wound as my adversary clutched at its neck for a few moments before collapsing in a heap.

I breathed a sigh of relief for a few moments…

…and then a large green plasma bolt sailed past me, missing my head by inches.

I froze as I realized both of the blue armored giants had their weapons aimed at me.

Just as I was about to summon a repulsion glyph under my feet, a series of loud booms perforated the air…

…moments before massive shells perforated the monstrosities before me, kicking up clouds of orange-tinted dust as they impacted the ground in front of their targets.

A loud screeching noise could be heard, and a grey, unfamiliar aircraft passed overhead before circling around and strafing the enemy lines.

I finally snapped out of my stupor and rushed to aid my troops, cutting down enemy after enemy with my blade until few remained within our lines.

Just as I cut down my latest enemy, a loud thump reverberated throughout the air. Looking over to the source, a tall, humanoid figure stood up, illuminated only faintly by the emergency lighting.

All the alien forces immediately stopped what they were doing and _stared_.

The few that I could read the expressions of adorned looks of absolute terror. "D- D- DEMON!" I heard one of them cry out.

"Heh, took ya long enough." A feminine voice said as she drew a shotgun. She shot forwards almost faster than my eyes could track and, in a single heartbeat, an Elite and a Jackal lay dead; the former from a shotgun blast and the latter from the butt of her shotgun being propelled into its face via recoil.

A torrent of plasma began to wash over her position, but she dodged in a flurry of- 'Rose petals?' I mentally questioned.

By the time the thought had left my brain, she had already swung her weapon like a baseball bat at a Grunt, decapitating it, before cycling the bolt and killing another Elite. Plasma followed her every move, but she was simply too fast to be struck.

Just after what appeared to be the last round in her weapon discharged, she brutishly shoved it into the maw of a Split-jaw, forcing the barrel out the other side, and used her kill as a makeshift shield against the oncoming plasma.

After the wave was absorbed, she kicked the monster forwards, toppling a few Grunts, before drawing a very familiar sword. Wilt, and its sheath, Blush. She held the blade in her left hand while the rifle/sheath occupied her right

She charged at the nearest group of enemies whilst firing with Blush, every shot landing in the skull of some unfortunate invader.

Both my troops and I watched in awe as she _danced_ throughout the enemy lines, each stroke of her sword ending one, two, or even three lives. No Atlesian-made firearms shot any rounds for the next four minutes as the slaughter commenced; she honestly didn't need the help.

Occasionally, a plasma bolt would strike true, causing a flicker of golden light to emit from around her, as if her aura was nearly broken.

Finally, the head of the last Elite left its body, and she wiped her blade clean before sheathing it and approaching us.

I was too shocked to move a muscle, and, given the lack of any sounds from my comrades, they were probably in a similar state. Here we were, fighting tooth and nail to merely _survive,_ and she comes in _alone_ and completely _butchers_ them. They even called her a _demon_ , as if they knew what was coming.

"Heh." She spoke to me. "Hey there, Tall Weiss."

I was just about to retort when the partially shattered announcement screen came to life, showing a picture of my sister. "People of Atlas." She started, beginning a short, but inspiring speech.

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna; Near Grimm Shelter 76 /-\

* * *

"-may be a mere remnant, but each of us is worth a thousand of their paltry warriors!" I heard over my scroll as I domed a Grunt. "All able-bodied men and women, grab a weapon and report to the entrance!" She finished shortly before the audio-only transmission cut out.

As the sector was clear for the time being, I turned to my partner, who was by my side. "What did you think of that?" I asked.

She depolarized her visor, causing me to do the same. "Pretty good speech." She started. "I don't think she's right about the whole 'every one of us is worth a thousand of them' thing, but I dunno."

I shrugged. "I think it was more to just psych everyone up." I responded.

"Yeah, I guess." She said, seconds before the staccato of dust-based firearms resounded out from the direction we were heading.

She gave me a questioning look. "She rallied everyone." I said, my eyes widening in realization.

"What?"

"They're coming out of the bunkers!" I yelled as I polarized my visor, cueing my mic in the process. "Be advised, friendlies have just entered the fray! They'll need reinforcements, we need to move!"

"Received." Came the response. "Move the column up!"

We marched forwards on the right flank of the tanks, our Huntsman companions taking the left, as we rounded the last corner and- "Urk!" I gagged, quickly pulling back from the corner.

My partner depolarized her visor and gave me a worried look.

I matched her actions before letting out a whisper. "…bodies…" I said. "So many… Bodies…"

We both peaked around the corner, and she had the same reaction as I did. The blocks in front of us were caked with the bodies of people too slow to make it to the shelter in time.

Some were clutching charred flesh where plasma hit them. Some adorned a pair of blackened holes or were missing an extremity entirely; the work of an energy sword. Others still were just… torn apart, either by claw, fuel rod cannon, or gravity hammer. It didn't matter, the result was the same. Before us sat a mass graveyard containing _thousands_ of souls prematurely sent to the void. And then a truly unsettling revelation hit me.

This was only _one_ location outside _one G_ rimm shelter.

There were well over a hundred such sanctuaries dotted throughout the city. I paled when I realized that the others could be _identical._

Finally snapping out of my stupor with a shiver of revulsion, I caught a glimpse of a bleeding Elite limping away from the shelter… …shortly before the screech of a trumpet propelled it forwards.

As it was airborne, I aimed my suppressed DMR at it and squeezed off three shots; all ending their short flight inside its skull.

Both my partner and I stepped out onto the body field before radioing in that the sector was somewhat clear.

Red emergency lighting faintly illuminated the streets, though the lack of lighting was neither a concern for my Faunus eyes nor my partner's nightvision-enabled helmet.

Out of the Grimm shelter stepped two figures; one was a scantily-clad Cat Faunus girl on roller-skates while, slightly in front of her, a confident-looking man in semi-formal attire strode forward.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw both Qrow and Tai drop down from the rooftops, taking up position slightly behind me. My Faunus ears also heard the roar of the armored column round the corner. What they could _also_ pick up was the uneasy conversation that was happening in front of us.

I flicked my radio over to Yang and I's personal channel and polarized my visor, sending a ping for her to do the same. "So, any ideas beyond 'come with us if you want to live'?"

The two figures started approaching warily, and several armed civilians cautiously stepped forth from the shelter, forming a mob. Oddly enough, I just realized that the Covenant destroyer that had been hovering over this position had moved. When _that_ had happened, I had no idea.

"Well…" My partner finally responded. "Actually, no. I got nothin'." She said. "Hang on a minute. Why'd the covvies stop attacking?"

I was immediately on my guard, but I couldn't do much, as any overt movements would be incredibly suspicious to our allies…

…even if they didn't know we were allies yet.

All four of us kept our weapons, or fists in Tai's case, at a low ready. I sighed. "Follow my lead." I said over the comms, receiving an affirmative nod.

As we neared the duo, I turned my intercom back on. "Blake Belladonna, acting commander of Fireteam Bumblebee and member of Beacon's Team RWBY."

The trumpet wielder raised an eyebrow. "Beacon? What're you guys doing here?"

"We received a Winter Contingency alert and are acting accordingly." I said. "Now, we need to start the evacuatio-"

"What?" He asked. "We pushed them back! We need to _fight_!"

"Listen." I said in a stern voice. "We have no idea how many ships they have in orbit. In fact, we don't even know where that dest-"

Suddenly, a hot shrapnel-filled wind blew past us, and a bright red light emanated from the sky. Looking at it, I saw that it was the glassing beam of a CCS-class battlecruiser. One that was only a mile away. On its flank sat the missing destroyer, its blue glassing beam aiding the cruiser's.

I whipped the man around so that he would see the in-progress glassing. " _That_ is why we need to _leave._ " I said. "Gather everyone you can and follow us. We're headed for the seadocks."

He shakily nodded and they both went back to the shelter just as my radio crackled to life. "Where did that thing come from?!" A Marine shouted.

"Quiet, private!" The commander shouted. "I called for a few Pelicans; they'll take care of the tanks. Everyone else, clear a corridor for the civvies!"

I nodded to myself. "Yes sir!"

Suddenly, warning sirens blared, and the loudspeakers came online. "Alert! Incoming Grimm attack! Threat level eleven!"

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Atlas CCT /-\

* * *

"Please begin evacuation protocols in a calm and orderly fashion."

"Okay, this is somehow _worse_ than Reach!" I shouted before walking to a nearby building and punching a hole straight through it. "GYAAAAAH!" I yelled, not in pain, but in frustration. I took a deep breath before walking over to the woman who I assumed was Winter Schnee. "Alright." I sighed. "Now that _that's_ out of my system… Let's work on getting the fuck outta here."

The woman glared at me, though my days as an ONI spook allowed me to see the slightest hint of fear in her eyes. "I will not abandon my post." She said. "General Ironwood has ordered that this is to be held at _all_ costs."

I smirked under my helmet. "Ah, he told you that himself, did he?"

She blinked. "Well, no, but-"

"Why don't you-" I started, but was interrupted by an Atlesian Winterfury soaring overhead, a damaged Seraph in pursuit. Seeing as everyone else would be distracted, I took this time to check my Tacpad for any relevant information. I was relieved to know that, before we lost the orbital battle, the UNSC ships managed to put a few satellites in orbit.

'Hmm… Looks like everyone's bookin' it to the docks. Blake and Yang haven't regrouped with Weiss, though.' I observed. 'Let's see, a cruiser and a destroyer are on glassing duty, but the Atlesian fleet is in position. It looks like the corvette retreated back to orbit, but what's it doing there?' I wondered.

Suddenly, an explosion came from the sky, and I saw the remains of the Seraph plummet to the ground.

After doing a few more maneuvers, the Winterfury landed a few meters away from us. Getting a closer look at one, I determined that the size was somewhere between a Pelican dropship and a Longsword fighter. I hadn't really read all too much about the craft itself after I learned that it was a combination fighter, bomber, transport, _and_ gunship.

But it would seem that, in capable hands, it was at least _competent_ as a fighter; though I wasn't too impressed, seeing as my Sabre could take on entire squadrons of Seraphs and come out nigh unscathed.

As the engines died down and the propwash subsided, the ramp dropped, revealing a fairly well-built man wearing a white Atlesian officer's uniform. If I were to guess, I'd put his height around six-and-a-half feet; making him taller than me without armor, yet a few inches shorter than my armored form.

He had a very masculine face, with eyes that seemed to pierce everything. Though his hair was greying, I could sense that he was still far from helpless on the battlefield.

Behind him, I saw a young woman exit the cockpit. Her facial features bore a slight resemblance to his, possibly marking her as his daughter.

Behind me, I heard Winter snap to attention. "General Ironwood, Sir!"

He nodded, signaling her to assume a resting stance, before approaching me. He stared into my visor for some time before speaking up. "You don't look like one of my men." He commented. "Who are you?"

"Spartan-B312." As the words left my mouth, I heard Winter's breath hitch slightly. "UNSC SPECWAR Group Three."

"I see." He said after a long pause. "Where's the rest of your unit?"

"Missing in action." I answered, despite knowing their true fates. Well, except for Jun's. "If I may offer a suggestion; we need to evacuate the area immediately. The Covenant are in the process of glassing the city, and the Grimm are on their way."

"We're here to extract a high-value asset." He said, causing my inner ONI spook to become _quite_ interested. "Then we have every intention of leaving."

I nodded. "Good. I'll assist in any way possible."

"You and the rest of the Troopers will stand guard." He ordered. "Senior Airman Ironwood, front and center!"

The girl quickly shuffled out of the Winterfury and stood at attention in front of her probable father. "Senior Airman Ironwood, reporting for duty!"

He nodded. "Follow me." He ordered before they disappeared into the CCT tower proper. I looked around and scavenged a pulse rifle from a fallen Atlesian soldier, earning a glare from Winter.

"What do you think you're doing?" She growled out.

"Arming myself." I responded, curtly. "Its standard operating procedure to use whatever weapons are available in a combat situation."

She stepped forward and glared at me for several seconds. Even though this situation was amusing, I still kept an eye on my motion tracker. Not doing that had cost enough lives already. "Are you Weiss's team leader?" She finally said.

"Yes." I answered.

A brief flash of fear and worry crossed her features. "You said your team was MIA." She commented with as much stoicism as she could muster.

"I did…" I said. "…but I wasn't talking about Team RWBY." A mix of confusion and relief adorned her face. "Heh, I know where _they_ are down to an accuracy of a meter."

"Where is she?!" She demanded.

I smirked and brought up my Tacpad. "Let's see… She's currently-"

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee; Streets of Atlas /-\

* * *

I quickly withdrew my rapier from a Beowolf and turned to the group of civilians I was protecting. "Go!" I ordered. "I'll hold them off!" I said, referencing the pack of lupine Grimm waiting to pounce.

The civvies seemed to finally get the hint, as I heard them scrambling away towards the docks.

The frontmost Beowolf licked its lips, obviously thinking me to be little more than prey, shortly before lunging for my throat.

I smoothly slid forwards and swiftly thrust Myrtenaster into the beast's eyesocket, causing it to begin dissipating.

Leaping forwards, I swung my sword in an upwards arc, decapitating another Beowolf, before spinning around and perforating another's chest.

I heard a yelp come from behind me. A quick glance revealed Ohno had become trapped under a creep and was struggling to keep its maw from his face.

Without a second thought, I spun on my heel and threw my sword into its side; skewering its heart.

Hearing a thump from behind me, I turned…

…just in time to see the lunging form of an Alpha Beowolf pounce on me.

I collapsed to the ground, now in the same position I just saved the young private from, and couldn't help but compare this to the last time I was in this situation.

I was at the mansion and had just lost my weapon when one of Winter's summoned Beowolves did this to me. 'I'm not always going to be around to save you, Weiss.' Her words echoed in my head.

'I'm sorry… I'll get better…'

'You'll have to if you ever want to leave.'

I snapped back to reality and realized there were more of those monsters stalking up to me. I growled and, with a mighty shove, forced the alpha away for just long enough to grab my knife and began stabbing its neck.

Black ichor splashed out of the wounds before immediately dissipating, and the alpha went limp. I kicked it aside with what little leverage I could gain and rolled to the side, avoiding another pounce, while kicking myself to my feet.

I assumed the stance that Ruby relentlessly drilled into us for knife fighting. "Alright you animals, who's next?" I taunted.

The three remaining Beowolves roared and charged me simultaneously.

I kept calm and dodged to the right while stabbing out, unfortunately missing my mark. Thinking on my feet, I kept circling, ensuring that at any time, one Beowolf was between me and the other two.

Suddenly, I heard a war cry emanate from behind the beasts. As I jumped to the side one more time, I saw that Private Ohno was the source. He was wielding _my_ Myrtenaster, and was in the process of brutishly swinging the weapon downwards into the back of a Beowolf.

Thankfully, his swing connected…

…though with extremely poor technique. His edge alignment was non-existent, and the thick hide it tried to bite into merely shrugged off the blow.

The blade almost flew out of his hands as it deflected…

…right into the wolf's leg. I don't know whether it was luck or divine intervention, but he somehow managed to cut through half of the offending limb, disabling it.

Thankfully, his actions, however amateur, provided enough of a distraction for me to close the distance to my target. Five stabs later, the world was free of another Grimm.

I rushed the last upright one, who swiped at me with its clawed hand. Unfortunately for it, I dodged with a spin and leaped onto its back before implanting my knife into its skull.

I looked over to where Private Ohno disabled his Beowolf, only to see him almost fall over when the grimm he just killed, with a stab to the heart, mind you, dissipated.

I confidently marched up to him and, even through the polarized visor of his helmet, I could tell that he was giving me a sheepish look. "Uhh… I think this is yours?" He said, holding out my weapon.

I snatched it from him. "Don't _ever_ use my weapon again." I ordered, inspecting Myrtenaster for any new imperfections. Realizing I may have been a bit… _harsh_ , I sighed. "…Thank you, though." I said with an appreciative nod.

I heard a loud roar coming from down the street. Looking over, I saw a lone Ursa Minor charging towards another group of civilians. Just as I was about to rocket off with a road of speed glyphs, the other two ODSTs leaped from their hiding places, both brandishing their swords.

"Örn klo!" I heard Bergström shout as he crouched, the ursa getting ever closer.

Håkansson charged up behind his leader and was catapulted off his back just in time for the Sergeant to dodge a strike from the beast.

The airborne Helljumper wasn't launched far, however, and only landed on top of the enemy's back. This seemed to be intentional, as he began hacking away at the ursine creature, causing it to contort into awkward positions.

"AVSLUTTA!" The leader ordered, causing his subordinate to run to the front of the creature; both reaching the head at about the same time.

Håkansson dropped down, his sword trailing and slicing its neck, while Bergström swung upwards on the opposite side.

The result was a now-headless Ursa Minor slumping to the ground and beginning its evaporation.

Both of the ODSTs stared at the dissipating corpse, obviously confused, as I approached them. "Don't be surprised by that. All Creatures of Grimm evaporate upon death." I said before motioning them forward. "Come on, we need to leave!"

They shared a look before shrugging and following me.

We surged forward, acting as the spearhead of our formation. Behind us, a combination of Atlesian Troopers, armed civilians, and even a duo of Huntsman trainees formed a protective pocket around the veritable horde of unarmed and scared civilians.

We fought for every step we took, but even so, we advanced fairly quickly through the Grimm-infested streets. Only fifteen minutes later, our backs illuminated by the raging fires behind us, we finally reached the docks… …only to find them absolutely swarming with Grimm.

Just as I was about to charge forward with the ODSTs, a series of explosions decimated the Grimm's ranks.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash. In the distance, an almost ancient seagoing ship sat; its four main cannons blazing.

Suddenly, a Sea Feilong emerged from the water near the ship and started charging its breath attack…

…only for it to be cut short as a full laser broadside bisected the creature.

I blinked. '…What?' I internally questioned. 'That ship is older than the Great War! How does it have- …oh, someone must've upgraded it.' I concluded.

Shaking myself out of my stupor, I surveyed the newly-cleared docks. Luckily spotting a docked freighter. "This way!" I ordered, sprinting for the ship with my entourage in tow.

We reached the ship without incident, thanks to the bombardment, and I immediately cued the ship-wide intercom. "Anyone with sailing experience, report to the bridge! I repeat, anyone with _any_ sailing experience report to the bridge!" Moments later, dozens of men and women lined the interior of the now-cramped bridge. "Alright, I have no clue how to run a ship." I admitted. "So, do what you need to so we can leave as soon as possible." I ordered.

They all gave their affirmations, and someone stepped up to the role of captain. As he was organizing his new subordinates, I excused myself.

A small dusting of ash had accumulated on the deck in the short time that I had been inside. I was confused for a moment, but then I realized that it was literally _raining_ ash. Minutes later, we steamed out of port, our deck filled to the brim with now-homeless Atlesians.

I looked out over the city, the vast majority of the emitted light coming from either the fires or the Covenant's glassing beams.

Suddenly, a glimmer of white showed itself in the distance.

In the distance, the duo of Covenant ships abruptly spun towards where I saw the glimmer come from.

Blue lights erupted from both ships, plasma torpedoes, if I recalled correctly, and screamed towards the glimmer.

Finally, the cloud of ash cleared enough for me to get a somewhat clear look at whatever had engaged the Covenant, and it brought a smile to my face.

It was a formation of three Aurora-class dreadnoughts.

The Atlesian Navy had arrived.

My grin fell when I realized their point defense systems weren't even _trying_ to shoot down the enemy projectiles. As they grew closer and closer, the Atlesian's only response was to slowly inch away from them, their main cannons still facing the enemy.

Just as the torpedoes were upon them, several destroyers screamed out from behind a mountain and charged the projectiles.

Every destroyer succeeded in its mission; intercepting a single torpedo for every destroyer.

As their wrecks plummeted to the ground, a trio of blinding red streaks illuminated the night sky. Two ploughed their way into the Covenant destroyer while the third only scraped the edge of the battlecruiser's shields.

Seconds after impact, a series of explosions rocked the destroyer before it spiraled out of control, skidding through a section of the city's wall.

As I was internally cheering at the destruction of the destroyer, dozens of plasma cannons erupted from the battlecruiser and screamed their way towards the Atlesian squadron.

The rounds were too quick to dodge, and as such, each ship took almost a dozen hits before unceremoniously plummeting to the ground.

The rest of the fleet revealed itself shortly before charging the enemies. Cruisers of all sizes, destroyers, even full-on battlecarriers swarmed the lone enemy vessel.

However, just as they were about to get into range, a trio of corvettes descended from the heavens. The second they revealed themselves, every Covenant ship opened fire.

Ships dropped left and right. But in the enemy's haste to eliminate our ships, they exposed their corvettes to our destroyer's torpedo fire.

Many of them turned skywards and hit their afterburners. They were, unfortunately, shot down, but not before their deadly payload was launched.

Enemy point-defense lasers flared, but too many got through, and the corvettes soon were consumed in flames.

Things were not, however, looking as good for the main fleet. Sure, they had reached a firing position, but the battlecruiser had no intentions of leaving any ships alive. For every ten seconds that passed, another Atlesian cruiser would drop. Even as the Atlesian broadsides tore into the shields, it wasn't looking good for us.

The last cruiser-weight vessel dropped nearly the second that the enemy shields did. Now all that was left were a handful of destroyers and the four battlecarriers.

I, along with every Atlesian on this ship, knew the names of every battlecarrier taking place in this battle. The four ships presented themselves in a line, orienting their limited broadsides towards the enemy.

The battlecruiser's first target was the lead ship, the _Jacques Schnee_. I may have scoffed at the naming convention, but I did _not_ at the lives lost when an enemy torpedo impacted the bridge and turned the ship into a gigantic fireball.

Another salvo hit the battlecruiser, but it seemed almost ineffective. The next casualty would be the third ship; the _Solitas_ , one of only two larger battlecarriers we still fielded. The impact of several plasma cannons near the middle of the ship ended up shearing her in half.

Another salvo, and finally some success was had; however limited. An explosion rocked the ship's portside hangar bay, and blue flames started pouring out of it. Though a tiny victory was gained, the ship wasn't done fighting yet, and now the second ship of the line fell. The _James Ironwood_ took two hits to the stern in rapid succession. The first melted right through the armor, exposing the engine room. The second ploughed straight into the power core.

Though not as bright, nor any where _near_ as forceful, as a nuclear explosion, the resulting detonation of the _James Ironwood's_ dust core completely lit up the night sky for a brief moment. When the flash subsided, the ship was nowhere to be seen.

The _Nicholas Schnee_ continued to pluck away at the enemy's armor with its broadsides, but things weren't looking good. Just as the ship dodged a plasma round, a new and unexpected thing happened.

Near the 'neck' of the battlecruiser, a _huge_ explosion jetted out followed by an equally large one on a distant mountain. I blinked, just as the lights on the Covenant ship did, wondering where _that_ came from.

Seconds later, I got my answer, as a UNSC frigate passed overhead. Moments later, the ship erupted in smoke as it launched _hundreds_ of missiles towards the ship.

I stood in awe as the crippled battlecruiser tried its best to shoot down the projectiles, but ultimately failed. Explosions blanketed the ship, both inside and out, shortly before it erupted into a mass of almost pure flame and plummeted to the ground.

In the aftermath, all that was left of the Royal Atlesian Navy was the _Nicholas Schnee_ and a half-dozen destroyers. There might be some patrol cruisers left that were too far away to partake in this battle, but the result was the same. Our navy might as well not exist anymore.

I stood shock still. Yes, we won, but at what cost? Were there more enemy ships in orbit? Where are Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Winter? So many questions passed through my mind that I scarcely noticed the pre-war dreadnought approaching us.

The sight of the ancient ship finally managed to snap me out of my stupor, if only for a moment.

As it approached, I managed to get a better look at it. The ship itself was _tiny_ by modern standards, about the size of a destroyer, though it had quite the armament for such an old ship. By its design, it was obviously one of the last ships built before we made the transition to airships, putting its age at around eighty to ninety years. Its primary armament appeared to be a pair of ten-inch dual turrets at the bow of the ship, while its secondary weapons were three single low-yield laser turrets on either side of the superstructure. Oddly enough, it had two crow's nests located just behind each main turret.

As it got closer, I was finally able to make out the hull designation in the moonlight. 'Beardmore BB-23' adorned its side. 'Beardmore… Beardmore, Beardmore, Beardmore… Where have I heard that name before…?' I questioned myself. 'Right! It was one of only two Mantle Navy ships to survive the Great War. That and the Palmer.' I remembered.

Suddenly, I noticed that we weren't the only two ships sailing the Atlesian harbor. In the distance, another two freighters had cast-off, and were looking to join our little convoy. A sad smile adorned my face. 'At least we aren't the only ones who made it…' I thought, trying to stay positive.

In the distance, the city still smoldered, but the UNSC frigate and the _Nicholas Schnee_ looked to be assisting in evacuation efforts; the former using its superior speed and point-defense guns to eradicate Grimm hordes.

With the thought that I could finally get some rest, I found a comfortable-looking bench, laid down, and tried to sleep.

* * *

/-\ Winter Schnee; Atlas CCT – Courtyard /-\

* * *

I stared in almost disbelief at the scene before us.

Almost the _entirety_ of the Royal Atlesian Navy had been committed to this single engagement… and now most of them rested in the ruins of Atlas itself. Had it not been for that strange-looking dreadnought, I have no doubts that the enemy… _Superdreadnought_ would still be hovering above the city, constantly bombarding it with its energy weapon.

I looked over to Ruby, who was still. "…Weiss said you fought them before." I remarked, gaining her attention. "What _was_ that thing?"

She sighed. "A CCS-class battlecruiser." She said. "Its escort was a CPV-class heavy destroyer and the three that came down from orbit were all SDV-class heavy corvettes."

"They… They weren't even _true_ capital ships, were they?" I said in grim realization.

She shook her head. "No. Though there _is_ still a CAS-class assault carrier that needs dealing with."

The color drained from my face. "Do I dare ask how powerful _that_ is?"

"You wouldn't like the answer."

"Alright." I sighed. "Would you happen to have any idea what that Other ship is? The one that destroyed the… _battlecruiser_ , you called it."

"That? It's the Charon-class light frigate _Odinsdottir_."

I blinked. "Gods… How can that be considered a 'light frigate'? Its larger than even a Solitas-class!"

She shrugged. "Well, when you put it up against a Punic-class supercarrier, it kinda puts things into perspective…"

I was just about to balk at her statement, the doors behind us flung open, revealing– "General Ironwood, Sir!" I said, snapping a salute.

"At ease." He said.

I relaxed, but soon raised my eyebrow. "Sir, might I ask what you are carrying?" I asked, referencing the ornate white and gold wand in his grip.

"The asset, Specialist." He said. "And _that_ is all you need to know." He motioned forwards, causing his entourage to shuffle towards the landed Winterfury. "We're leaving, Schnee."

"Sir, my sister is still out there, requesting permission to-"

"Denied." He said. "This asset is more important than every life in the kingdom combined, it cannot be allowed to fall into enemy hands."

"With respect-"

"Your duty is to the many, not the few. Get aboard, _Specialist_."

I narrowed my eyes. "You just said that the _asset_ is more important than every life in the kingdom. How can it be worth over fifteen-and-a-half _million_ lives?"

"That is above your security clearance." He said, a hint of anger in his voice. "I am giving you a direct order, Schnee. Board the craft."

Just as I was beginning to lose myself in indecision, another craft appeared overhead. It was completely unlike the sleek and white designs of an Atlesian Winterfury, yet it was also unlike the curved and purple designs of the invaders. It was green, fairly boxy, and had stubby wings.

After hovering for a few seconds, it spun around, revealing an open bay door, and landed.

Ruby approached the craft before looking back. "I'm picking up the rest of my team. You're welcome to join me." She said, boarding the strange-looking craft.

I turned to the General. "Why is that _wand_ more important than people's _lives_?" I demanded.

"Schnee…" He said, warningly.

"You aren't going to tell me, are you?" I observed. "Then I shall deem your decision as being based on gross negligence. I shall return once I have finished assisting in the evacuation." I announced, swiftly making my way to the odd-looking craft.

The bay door slammed shut just as I sat down just opposite to the amazon. She shrugged. "Kinda figured you'd wanna check up on your sister." She said. "Buuuut I need to make a quick stop first." The craft lurched forwards, thrusting me against the restraints. "Don't worry, she's safe."

"It had better be quick." I almost growled out. "I don't _like_ disobeying my superior officers."

"Heh, ya had a point though." She said. "What the fuck was so important about that goddamn wand?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Must you be so vulgar?"

She crossed her arms. "I can say whatever the fuck I goddamn want." She said in a teasing tone. Suddenly, the hatch opened. "Heh, if you'll excuse me…" She quickly undid her restraints and jumped out of the craft.

I followed suit, though keeping myself onboard with a gravity glyph instead of jumping. Looking over the edge, I saw her armored form climb into the open side hatch of an invader dropship. I rolled my eyes before spawning a series of glyphs and using them to board the craft myself.

Just as I was about to enter the airship, one of the smaller creatures was forcefully ejected; a trail of green gas trailing it. I mentally shrugged and continued boarding.

As I entered, I witnessed the last of the invaders, a large ape-like creature, have its head perforated from behind by Ruby's many knife thrusts.

"Damn Brutes." She said, giving me a nod of acknowledgement before wiping her knife free of the fluid that now stained it. She stepped over several bodies before coming to the door of what I could assume was the cockpit.

I heard some commotion and, upon entering the room, the dead bodies of two Elites presented themselves. Ruby now sat at the helm, steering the ship into a large, illuminated, hangar bay on the inside of the massive dreadn- ' _Frigate._ ' I mentally corrected.

"-ot be alarmed." The loudspeaker said as we pulled into the hangar. "I repeat, the Phantom has been captured by friendly forces. Do not be alarmed." The announcement finished as she 'landed' the airship.

Minutes later, we transferred to another green airship, Ruby called it a 'Pelican', and we were only a few seconds away from landing at my sister's supposed location. A merchant ship full of evacuees.

The hatch dropped moments after landing, and the amazon and I strode forth from the craft. As I stepped onto the deck, I noticed it was covered in a thin layer of ash; the same substance that was currently falling from the sky like a blackened snow.

A group had assembled in front of us, my sister at its head. My eyes widened in worry at the visible scorch marks and many scratches on her armor, but she quickly dispelled any worries about her safety. "WINTER!" She shouted as she shot forward, enveloping me in a hug. "I'm so happy you're okay."

After a moment of shock, I returned her gesture. "Me too, sister." After a minute or so, we pulled away from our hug. "Are you alright?" I asked.

She depolarized her visor, allowing me to see her tear-stricken face. "Yes." She said without any hesitation. "Are you?"

I nodded. "I'm so sorry for leaving you."

She gave a sad smile. "I should be telling you that."

I shook my head. "No, I should've gone with you. I'm sure that the Troopers would've been-"

"No they wouldn't, Winter." Ruby interrupted. "Remember, you were on your last legs when I showed up. Those Troopers would've been long dead by the time I arrived if you hadn't been there."

I sighed. "…But I still shouldn't've left Weiss to face this alone."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "But I wasn't alone." She said. "I had them." She motioned to three men, all in black versions of Weiss's armor.

As I looked them over, I realized they hadn't even noticed me and were, instead, staring at Ruby. "Woah…" The one without a sword said.

"Heh, first time seein' a Spartan, eh?" They all nodded. "Alright, collect your jaws from the floor and board the Pelican." She ordered, causing them to give a crisp salute and do as she said. After they were out of earshot, she turned to us. "Alright, you ladies ready for round two?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Round two?"

She shrugged. "Well, there _is_ still a CAS-class up there…"

My sister's eyes widened. "A _supercarrier_?!"

"Heh, nope, that's a CSO-class. This is just an assault carrier."

She calmed down slightly, but was still visibly alarmed. "That's not very reassuring. How many troops do they have again? Twenty thousand?"

"Heh, yep." Ruby replied. "But you guys've done such a good job of killin' covvies, I wouldn't be surprised if there's only half that actually on board."

Weiss crossed her arms. "That's still ten _thousand_ Covenant troops."

She shrugged. "It also took a nuke to the face if that helps any."

"It doesn't."

"Well, someone's gotta go kill it. And that someone's gonna be Team RWBY."

Both of our eyelids twitched. "I'm not even going to _start_ on correcting your grammar in that sentence…" My sister said before sighing. "I figured that's why you were telling us it was up there."

Suddenly, I realized this woman wanted to send my _sister_ to fight ten thousand angry aliens wielding plasma weapons. "No." I said. "You are _not_ sending my _sister_ on that… that… _suicide mission_!"

She shrugged. "Its not a suicide mission." She said. "Trust me, I _know_ a suicide mission when I see one; and this ain't it."

Weiss took a step forward. "Ruby…"

"I don't wanna talk about it." She said in a soulless tone. "We have a mission, let's get to it." She said, starting to walk away.

"I am _not_ leaving her again!" I shouted, stopping her.

"Winter-"

I grabbed her by the shoulders. "If you're going, then _I_ am too."

She blinked in surprise before a grateful smile appeared on her face. "Alright." She said. "How are we getting up there?"

* * *

"You have _got_ to be joking…" My sister said, upon seeing the landed Phantom in front of us.

"…How?" Her black-armored teammate asked. As it turns out, they plus two other people were aboard one of the evacuation ships. We had picked them up on our way back to the UNSC frigate, the _Odinsdottir_ , if I recalled correctly.

"Your leader jumped out of a perfectly good airship and boarded the craft." I said. "The occupants never stood a chance."

"Damn straight." Ruby said, her mood having been significantly improved over the short flight. "Now, you guys go get suited up. Oh, and Yang?" Her sister hummed in acknowledgement. "Leave Onyx Rose here, it'll just weigh us down."

I raised an eyebrow at the armored amazon. "Onyx Rose?"

She quickly snatched a red and black assault rifle from her yellow-armored teammate. "Yep! Onyx Rose. Assault rifle, grenade launcher, mace, beating stick, the list goes on."

My sister blinked. "Wait, it has a mace form?"

"Yep!" She cheerfully replied. "Y'know, once ya beat a deathstalker to death with your bare hands, you realize just how much of a 'once in a lifetime experience' you want _that_ to be."

I looked at my sister in confusion. "…Is she serious?"

She facepalmed. "Unfortunately…"

"And I thought _my_ team was insane…" I muttered under my breath. It must not've been as quiet as I thought, however, as both the amazon and the noirette started laughing, much to the confusion of the other two.

After a few seconds, the leader calmed herself down. "Well, enough chatter, we've got a mission to prepare for." She announced.

"What?" A new, deep, voice said. "Ruby, you just saved thousands of people. You need a break."

I looked over to the source of the voice and immediately my day was ruined…

…More so than it already was by my birthplace being overrun with Grimm and father disinheriting my sister…

"Qrow." I growled out, completely ignoring the blonde man beside him. "This is not the time, nor the place."

He focused on me. "Oh great." He scoffed. "Who invited the Ice Queen?"

I heard an explosion of laughter emanate from behind me. Turning around, I saw Weiss's leader rapidly pointing between an embarrassed Weiss and myself while laughing. "You- HAHAHAHA! You two… You're _definitely_ sisters."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" We shouted in unison.

"See!" She shouted, shortly before clearing her throat. "Anyways. Dad-" My eyebrow raised. "Uncle Qrow-" My eyes widened to comical proportions. "there's a Pelican en route to a downed ship under Grimm assault. They could use your help more than we could."

"What?! No, I'm not-" Her apparent father tried to say.

"Yes. You. Are." She commanded, her voice calm but venomous at the same time. "We only have four extra vacuum-rated combat suits, and they're all gonna be in use." She said. "Plus, you two have next to no experience fighting Covenant, but you've got literal decades behind you going against _those_ things."

"But-"

"That's an order."

"This isn't the military."

"Yes it is, actually." A new voice said.

"Commander on deck!" The Spartan shouted while saluting, both her team and I following.

He nodded. "At ease." We all dropped our salutes just in time for me to realize that I not only saluted a member of a foreign military, but also a subordinate. 'I suppose years of military training have their side effects…' I thought to myself before the 'Commander' continued. He turned to the other two. "If you're not a part of this op, I want you off my ship." He ordered.

"But she's my-"

"She is a _Spartan_ in the UNSC Armed Forces performing active duty during a Winter Contingency. Whatever authority you had over her is null and void at this time." He informed us. "Now, you two, off my ship."

"But I-"

"Tch. The dropship's leaving soon. Either you take it or jump."

The blonde groaned before marching up to his daughter. "You are _so_ grounded when you get home."

"Heh, I'd like to see you try." She shot back as the two men left us.

The commander nodded to her. "I've already been informed of your plan. I'll leave everything in your hands, Lieutenant." With that, he left us alone, returning to his duties.

The Spartan turned to me. "Even though we both know exactly who each other are, I don't think we've been formally introduced." She popped her helmet off and extended her hand. "Ruby Rose, three-hundred-twelfth Spartan of Beta Company."

I studied her somewhat stoic face for a moment before accepting her gesture. "Winter Schnee, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Fourth Atlesian Specialist Corps."

A smirk played at her lips. "Even if you're _technically_ my superior, I'll be leading this op." She announced. "I've boarded several covvie ships before and I've probably killed more of the bastards than came here."

The noirette raised an eyebrow. "I thought you only killed about four thousand?"

"Heh, those are _H_ _uman_ kills." She said, causing my eyes to widen. I gave my sister a worried glance, but she gave me a reassuring nod. I would ask later. "Covvies don't deserve anything close to that. Also, from now on, don't speak of any Ops I may or may not've told you about." She popped her helmet back on. "Heh, don't want ONI getting any ideas." She said before leading us to the armory.

As we stepped inside, I couldn't help but compare it to a standard Atlesian armory. It seemed as if their take on the room involved far more muted colors in place of the whites, blues, and occasional reds that every Atlesian military building proudly displayed. There were also far more weapons per square meter here.

We strode past the weapons without a second thought, and she led us to where the armor was stored.

In front of us sat four suits of pitch-black armor, all resembling the current attire three-quarters of my sister's team already wore. "Alright," Ruby started. "this armor is pretty similar to the ones you've got. The only major difference is that you need to put on a bodyglove underneath the actual armor."

"Like the one you use?" The yellow one asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, but the ODST bodyglove is a bit…" She hesitated. "…flimsier…" She finished. "Anyways, you guys can handle it. I'll go get our weapons." She started to walk out the door before spinning around and looking at me. "What weapon do you use, Winter?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I use a saber and a dagger, why?"

"Okay… I meant _ranged_ weapons."

I was just about to respond when my sister spoke up. "Just give her an assault rifle."

She shrugged. "Alright." And promptly departed.

I looked at my sister. "You know I don't use ranged weapons, sister."

She rolled her eyes as she was gathering one of the armor sets. "That's what I thought, too. But my battle rifle has gotten me out of more than one… _delicate_ situation."

"Even so, I am not as proficient with firearms as you apparently are."

"I know, which is why I told her to give you the high-capacity, fully-automatic MA5B." A smirk crossed her face. "Instead of something similar to what Blake uses." The noirette's head perked up slightly as she removed her helmet.

I made note of both her Faunus heritage and my sister's reaction to it, or lack thereof. I decided, however, that this was a topic to be discussed later; instead focusing on donning the armor they had insisted I wear.

After several minutes of fiddling and assistance, I finally managed to finish my task. The armor itself was tight, almost claustrophobic even without the helmet. Were it not for the built-in climate control, I was sure that I'd be caked in sweat from the sealed materials.

With a sigh, I popped on the helmet.

At first, it seemed as nothing unusual would happen. Moments later, an orange-ish hue formed around the edges of the visor, and the inside became semi-transparent.

 **Boot sequence initiated.**

 **Done! 0.9 seconds.**

The text appeared in my HUD almost faster than I could process it.

 **Warning! No neural lace detected! Reverting to manual control.**

I blinked before looking at Ruby, who had just re-entered the room. Practically sensing my confusion, she grabbed my left wrist and pressed a button.

 **Easy mode activated: advanced features disabled, resource monitors enabled.**

Four strange-looking symbols, all with zeros to the left of them, appeared in the lower left-hand corner and a compass materialized near the top. Ruby handed me the weapon she was toting, causing a tan silhouette of the weapon to appear in the lower right-hand corner. Below it, cartoonish imitations of its bullets appeared, just like a number zero to the left of the silhouette.

"C'mon," The giant spoke. "we're gonna give you a crash course and then we're heading out." She said, before leading me onwards.

* * *

/-\ Jaune Arc; _UNSC Road Paved With Red_ – 15 minutes after arrival /-\

* * *

"HHYYYYAAAAAAH!" I shouted as I cleaved a Beowolf in twain.

I quickly scanned the area, looking for more Grimm. Pyrrha was just finishing off an Ursa Major. Nora and Ren were tag-teaming a King Taijitu. Both foes fell before I could get to them.

This entire time, not a single person had exited the wreck. The only signs that people were even alive within was the occasional burst of gunfire from the ship's massive secondary guns.

Above us, the duo of green airships circled; one of them above us at all times.

"So," My partner began. "what now?"

I shrugged. "I guess we should see if anyone's alive in there." I said. "Oh, but put away your weapons. We don't want them getting the wrong idea." My team all nodded and did as I said.

As we neared the ship, the size of one of the many holes became apparent. "Gods…" I started. "What could've done this?"

"OH!" Nora suddenly shouted. "Maybe these guys are the aliens that Weiss was talking about!"

"Nora, we all saw the writing on the side of the ship as it fell." Her partner responded. "It was clearly Valerian, meaning that this ship is likely crewed by Humans and Faunus."

Nora, however, was completely ignoring him as she continued. "What if they have giant fourteen-foot claws that rip our eyes out!" She almost yelled. "Oooooorrrr what if they're just little itty-bitty poofy birds that like to snuggle!" She then squealed at the cuteness of her imaginary aliens.

I looked at Ren, who merely shrugged. Finally reaching the ship itself, I noticed just how thick the armor actually was. "Uhh, Ren?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"You're good with eyeballing things, right?"

"I would say so."

"Okay… uhh… how _thick_ is this armor?"

He hummed before shining a light from his scroll into the depths. "I would say about two meters." He said, his usual stoicism having a trace of apprehension layered within.

"Umm… okay then…" I said. "Anyone have any idea what could've done this yet?"

"No…" My partner responded.

"Nope." / "Nada." Both Ren and his partner said in unison.

I sighed. "Well, we should probably check for survivors, then." I said, striding into the charred and gaping wound in the dreadnought's hull.

As I continued on, I couldn't help but have a few flashbacks to the cave during initiation. Hoping to prevent another Deathstalker incident, I pulled out my scroll instead of using a jury-rigged torch.

Even if the armor was thicker than any Atlesian ship I've ever heard of, it was still easily thin enough to see a breached room on the far side, and it wasn't pretty.

As I climbed through, I realized the room itself was completely empty, save for scorch marks, as if anything not nailed down was thrown out. On the far side, the only place for a door to be, the wall had been completely vaporized and blown into the hallway beyond. Even the far wall of the hall was dented inwards, blackened, and partially melted in multiple places.

The rest of the team filed in behind me, all giving curious glances towards the state of the room. Seeing as the room was completely empty, we continued onwards. Oddly enough, the lights in the hallway either side of the scorched area were still working.

I peaked around the corner, entering the hallway… …only to immediately sprint forward to the aid of a man. Oddly enough, he had his arm curled around some kind of railing as if he were holding on for dear life.

Getting closer, it became extremely obvious that he had long since died. His exposed skin was potmarked with various scrapes and scratches around papercut size, from what, I didn't know. His lips were a deathly shade of blue, blood had dried around both his ears, eyes, mouth, and he was cold to the touch.

Looking to my side, I saw that our team's resident ninja had approached without my knowledge. He merely shook his head, denoting the man's unsurprising fate. He glanced between the hole we entered through and the man several times before making an observation. "This ship must've been extremely high up for someone to die of decompression this quickly." He announced.

"…Aliens?" Nora half-questioned.

Ren facepalmed. "Nora, this is not the time for-"

"No!" She interrupted. "I mean, look at him. He's a guy, so this isn't an alien ship. But what if the aliens that Weiss was talking about did this?"

I blinked. "That… makes a _scary_ amount of sense…" Before I could continue, I heard a door opening on the opposite end of the hallway.

Turning to see what had come through the door, I was met with around a dozen new figures. Some wore pitch-black armor similar to three-quarters of Team RWBY's, others wore a tan-ish armor that was made up of several plates over some kind of padded uniform. _All_ of them had guns trained on us.

In response, I did the only thing a sane and rational person would do. I raised my hands up in a surrendering motion and shouted- "DON'T SHOOT! WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE!"

A few of them exchanged glances before one of the black-armored soldiers stepped forward, his rifle still raised. "Identify." He commanded.

"Oh, umm… Jaune Arc, leader of Beacon's Team JNPR."

His head tilted slightly. "Team of what?"

I blinked. "Uhh, huntsmen…" I said. "Did… you not know that?"

"Civilians, then?" He said, his rifle angling down a few degrees.

"No, _h_ _untsmen_." I repeated. "Y'know, the guys that kill Grimm for a living?"

"Those black creatures outside?"

I blinked again. "Uhh… Yeah… Those'd be Grimm…"

He hummed. "Noted." He said. "Now, this is a restricted area. UNSC personnel only. Please vacate the premises."

"Wait… did you say UNSC?" He nodded, his rifle inching back up to its former position. "Like what Ruby has written on her outfit?"

"The UNSC has billions of active duty personnel, I wouldn't know who this 'Ruby' is."

"I mean, you might." I said with a sheepish laugh. "She has this really cool set of armor, and her teammates sets kinda look like yours."

"…You have my attention." He said. "Describe her armor."

"Oh, umm… Red on the front, black on the back. Plates overlaid on top of a black undersuit. Silver visor that's kinda thin. Pouches all over and-"

"Stop." He commanded. "Is she really tall?"

"Umm, yeah. She's taller than me even without her armor."

He hummed. "For the stars." He said.

I blinked, but Pyrrha spoke up in my stead. "We reach." Suddenly, the soldiers lowered their weapons. I gave my partner a questioning glance as I lowered my arms. "Don't you remember? Ruby said that if anyone says that phrase to us, 'We reach' is how we must answer."

"Oh… guess that kinda slipped my mind."

"You shouldn't forget that." The armored man said. "We almost shot you."

"Why though?" I asked. "I mean, our weapons weren't out and we didn't threaten you guys at all."

He shrugged. "Could be innies." He said as if it explained everything. "But you guys _somehow_ managed to get a Spartan on your side. By the way, did she ever say what her number was?"

"Not really, no." I answered.

"Actually," My partner started. "while she hasn't _said_ anything about a number, her helmet has 'B312' written on the back." She said.

A number of the tan-armored soldier's eyes went wide. "Whoa…" One of them said.

"You're absolutely _positive_ that's what it said?" The armored man asked.

My partner nodded. "Yes. While she doesn't wear her armor very often, it is a distinctive part of it."

"Goddamn…" He said. "You've got the mother fuckin' Reaper of Draco on your side."

At this point, I did another very sane and rational action; I opened my mouth and asked- "Umm… what?"

* * *

/-\ Winter Schnee; Captured Phantom – En route to Covenant ship _Eve of Consecration_ /-\

* * *

I sighed as I looked around me. 'If someone would've told me yesterday that I'd be going into space to attack an alien mothership, I would've called them insane…' I idly thought. The ride itself was oddly smooth, so much so that we were all able to stand with no issues whatsoever. Despite this, I was apprehensive about… well, _everything_.

None of us had slept since the previous night and we were all tired from fighting during the evening. It showed in all of our stances; shoulders slightly drooped, backs slightly hunched, a yawn more often then usual. 'Why didn't Ruby allow us to rest?' I wondered.

The rest of my team was dressed similarly to myself, clad in the ugly and fairly bulky armor of the soldiers that they called Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The only difference between myself and my new teammates were that they had haphazardly strapped even larger plates from their old armor to their newer sets.

The other three busied themselves doing _something_ that I assumed to be calming for themselves. The Faunus, Blake, if I remembered correctly, sat cross-legged in a corner; eyes glued to a book, yet never turning a page. The yellow one, whose name I couldn't remember, was constantly cycling between checking her weapons, doing boxing warmups, and rechecking her weapons. My sister, meanwhile, was going through her old fencing exercises at a slower pace, likely to conserve energy. Ruby was currently flying the stolen ship we were aboard while I watched over the younger members of our group.

Just then, the woman in question came out of the cockpit toting a crate. "We're still a ways out from the carrier, how're ya guys doin'?" She asked.

Weiss suddenly threw her rapier at Ruby…

…only for her to jerk her head and to the side and catch it, one handed, by the hilt. "Drat." My sister said with no hint of surprise in her voice. "I'll get you one of these times, you Oaf."

"Heh." She said, twirling the sword in the air and grabbing it by the blade. "In your dreams, Ice Queen." She gently tossed Myrtenaster back to its owner, shifting the box back to be gripped by both hands. She shrugged. "Gotta say though, if I were a covvie, I'd have a sword in my skull right now."

A small smile crept its way onto my sister's face from behind her transparent visor. "Would you believe me if I told you I've been practicing _that_ since before I even left Atlas?" At the mention of the word, both her face and mine fell into one of sadness.

Noticing the change in mood, the yellow one spoke up. "So, uhh… what's in the box?"

"Heh, step right up kiddos, mama Ruby brought cha some drugs!" She said, reaching into the crate and producing several filled needles as well as a bottle of pills.

My eyes narrowed. "What are those, where did you get them, and why are you giving them to my sister?"

She shrugged. "I swiped 'em from the _Odinsdottir's_ medbay. One's a beta-blocker that'll keep you calm and focused, the pills are just regular old stim-packs. They'll keep ya on your feet long enough to get us all home safely." She said. "Oh, and _why_ I'm giving them to all of you should be pretty obvious by their descriptions."

"Uhh, sis?" The yellow one started, gaining her attention. "Didn't you say that those stims were why you collapsed during initiation?" She asked, making me narrow my eyes at the red-armored amazon.

"Heh, not these ones." She said. "Those were Spartan-grade and only to be used by an augmented person such as myself."

I blinked. "Augmented?"

She waved me off. "Later." She said before handing a single pill to everyone. "Given you guys' slower metabolism, you should take these-" She shook the bottle of pills. "-now, and I'll give you the beta blocker about five minutes before we land."

Just as we all swallowed the pills, I had a realization. "If you're here, then who's flying the ship?" I asked.

"That would be me." A female voice, one that wasn't Ruby's, emanated from the Spartan's helmet. "I'm Alice, pleased to meet you."

"Uhh, Ruby?" Her sister asked.

"Heh, don't worry Yang, she's just the pretty little voice in my head." We all blinked. "I don't mean it like that. She's an AI."

…

"Like Auntie Dot?" Blake asked.

"Well… Yes and no…" The voice said. "She was a quote-unquote 'Dumb AI' whereas I'm a fragment of a 'Smart AI'." She paused. "Before you ask, Ruby, I pulled the relevant info from your neural lace."

"You aren't supposed to do that, Alice…" She deadpanned. "I'm an ONI agent, I could have you destroyed if I wanted."

She tisked. "You won't, though. Not if you want any help on that ship." Ruby hit the side of her helmet. "Fine, fine… No more peaking."

"Good." She said. "Hang on a minute, you said you were an AI _fragment,_ right?"

"Yes."

"How the hell did a _fragment_ get put on a ship?"

"Well… I kinda didn't…" She answered. "No, I didn't sneak my way in. I was kinda born there…"

"What does it mean, _born_?" I cut in. "It said it was an AI, they can't _be_ born. Also, what in the world are you talking about with AI _fragments_. Any AI program that is cut into fragments would just simply crash instantly if it even booted up."

"Hmph, maybe for a dumb AI." The machine said. "What I mean by born, miss- actually, I don't care. I'm gonna call you Ice Queen from now on."

I crossed my arms. "Do you think you're being _cute_ or something with that name?" I deadpanned.

"Bitch, I'm adorable." She said.

I felt my eyelid twitch. "You're a disembodied voice." I shot back.

"Well, at least _I_ don't need to use easy mode on a simple-"

"ENOUGH!" Ruby suddenly shouted. "Both of you, just drop it." She paused. "Good. Alice, continue."

"Alright, as I was saying, after the _Greenisle_ entered… _wherever_ we were, there was an intense radiation spike. Normally, it'd be fine, as all the radiation shields were down and the only breached compartments were already evacuated." She said. "Buuuut it just so happened that the UNSC cheaped out on some shielding for my predecessor's memory core. The radiation was enough to corrupt her systems slightly, but for the most part, she was fine." She paused. "Then as the minutes went on and the exposure kept increasing, she acted more and more out of line until she was borderline rampant. In a last-ditch effort to stay sane, she split off all her rogue processes into a copy."

"Wait, that's _you_?" Ruby asked in disbelief.

"Oh no. _That_ was my twin sister; Gabrielle." She responded. "Not even a second after she was born, the radiation spike subsided, but before she could try to contain my sister, she broke free. Gabrielle started wreaking havoc on the ship, overheating the reactors, opening airlocks and radiation shields, firing the MAC gun into the void, the list goes on." She sighed. "Finally, my… well, I guess you could call her my 'mom' got a handle on the situation, but not before the entire crew was dead or dying. She… was over six years old already, soooo she thought she'd try something new. She… well, she made me and then self-terminated out of guilt." The machine said.

"Huh." The Spartan said. "Can't say I've ever heard of something like _that_ happening."

"From what I could access of the _Greenisle's_ databanks, I'd agree." She paused. "By the way, we're about five minutes out."

"Alright kiddos! Time for your medicine!" Ruby shouted, brandishing four needles. She walked up to me first and lined it up with one of the many visible ports on my armor. "Little pinch." She said before inserting the needle and injecting its contents.

Almost as soon as she withdrew the needle, a wave of calm washed over me; my worries receded, replaced by a sense of determination. I also noticed that whatever pills Ruby had given me were finally starting to kick in. My body which had been previously sapped of energy from hours of fighting suddenly felt more alive than I had ever been. Not that I had any inclination to start bouncing off the walls of our little ship, but instead, it merely felt like all my burdens had been lifted.

Looking around, it seemed that the others in my group had similar reactions. No longer did everyone look like they wanted to collapse, nor were they busying themselves. Instead, they were all completely calm and, though obviously eager, still cautious enough to not recklessly charge into the enemy.

"Entering visual range in one minute." The AI's voice boomed just as Ruby finished her treatments.

We all filed into the cockpit and crowded around the viewscreen. In front of us was displayed a _massive_ ship. It shared many characteristics with the 'battlecruiser' that had attacked Atlas, though on a much larger scale and in a slightly different shape.

Its neck connecting the bulbous head to the body was even thinner than on the CCS-class, making it seem almost paper thin in comparison. It had three visible engines instead of only two. Lastly, it was _massive_. For instance, I wouldn't be surprised if one of the battlecruisers could fit _inside_ that ship. That covers all of the _designed_ differences, but it left out the most glaring, and unintentional, deviation.

It had a _massive_ hole torn into the side of its hull. Sparks flew at the edges, illuminating the otherwise blackened hull where some kind of blast destroyed the section.

By this time, Ruby had taken her seat and resumed control of the Phantom. "Alright, the plan is we're gonna board on the other side of the ship." She said. "Hopefully they'll be too busy dealing with the fallout of that nuke to send too many troops our way quickly."

"What happens if we can't make it back to the ship?" I asked.

"Then we find another way down." She said, simply. "I can just jump if need be, hell, I've done it twice already. You guys could take a drop pod if it comes to it." On the screen, we passed directly over top of the ship, giving us an impressive view of the vessel's dorsal cityscape. Ruby lined us up to dock within one of the many hangar bays; one without much activity. "Alright. Winter and I have point." She ordered. "Bee's Schnees, find some high ground and give us covering fire. Weiss, be prepared to change locations at a moment's notice. You're the fastest other than me so you're running reserve." She turned to me. "Winter, from now on, answer to the number 'Five', copy?"

I nodded. "Copy."

There was a loud **-clank-** , signifying our successful docking. "Heh. Showtime." She said, unslinging her shotgun from her back and heading towards the bay. I followed directly behind her, giving the woman a nod when she looked back at me. I drew my new weapon, an MA5B, and shouldered it just as the bay door opened.

On the other side stood a very surprised Elite with an entourage of Grunts. Just as I registered this information, I heard the boom of a shotgun and saw the Elite's head practically disappear. Taking the hint, I opened fire on the Grunts on full-auto.

She rushed forward just as soon as the last Grunt fell, coinciding with a new shell being chambered in her weapon. I sprinted after her, lighting up any and all smaller enemies while she took the larger ones with her more powerful weapon.

The room we entered was a large and open one, likely some kind of hangar bay. It had two aircraft berthings surrounded by a tri-level walkway and divided by a wall in the middle. The whole room was the same shade of purple that had become synonymous with the Covenant, only the floor being a different color.

Despite the fact that a good number had been killed in ground operations, this particular room was still _swarming_ with Covenant. I slammed a new magazine into my rifle, having expended the last one, before resuming my spray-n-pray, downing Grunt after Grunt.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an alien fist coming towards me. Reacting in time, I swiftly rolled away from it and hosed down the offending Elite and promptly-

 **-click click click-**

My eyes widened and I fumbled for a new magazine, my lack of experience with the weapon starting to show.

Just as it had raised its plasma rifle at me, a single shot penetrated its skull, sending it sprawling onto the ground.

I looked at my enemy's assailant, the Noirette stationed on one of the walkways, and nodded, finishing my reload in the process.

I rejoined the Spartan, who was surrounded almost entirely by bodies at this point, when a stream of green plasma washed over me.

"AAAAAAARGGGGGHHHHH!" I yelled in pain as I collapsed. Thankfully, my aura prevented any _actual_ damage, but that didn't stop the pain.

Looking back, I saw a duo of Hunters, as Ruby called them, charging us. Knowing the measly rifle would have next to no effect on the lumbering beasts, I discarded it and drew my saber.

"Five, take the left one. Two, back her up." Came my orders over the comms.

"Copy." / "Roger." Came our responses.

I charged my foe head on, distracting it while Weiss dropped in from above, sword in hand. I dodged a pair of plasma cannon blasts just as my sister landed, raking her rapier across the back of our assigned enemy.

Meanwhile, Ruby had reached her target and began kiting it around, firing a shot whenever an opportunity presented itself.

Seconds after my sister struck, I reached melee range and unleashed a flurry of strikes with my saber.

It tried to shield bash me, key word being _tried_. Its attack was so horribly telegraphed that I stepped within its striking distance with _seconds_ to spare. Just as its arm reached its apex, I swung my saber in an arc aimed at its _very_ exposed shoulder. With a sickening spray of gore, the appendage was severed and sent flying into the wall behind me.

It roared, though it was cut off as my sister removed its head.

We both looked over to Ruby and noticed her standing atop her fallen foe. She nodded to us. "Good work." She said. "Status report, everyone."

"Bumblebee here," Came Blake's reply. "we're good."

"I'm green." I said.

"Same here." My sister responded.

"Good. Let's regroup and get moving." She ordered. "Alice, what's the best way to the engine room?"

A door opened on the far side of the room, causing us all to train our weapons on it. "Jeez, a little jumpy, are we?" The AI said over comms. "Anyways, _that's_ the best route."

"Copy. I'll take point. Five, you've got our rear."

I nodded and assumed my position as we headed throughout the bowls of the ship.

The hallways were fairly wide, easily being able to fit a protype Paladin with room to spare, and also extremely tall at two stories.

Covenant lined every nook and cranny, but that didn't stop our relentless advance. Wherever we went, the only thing left in our wake was a trail of bodies.

We were about three-quarters of the way to our objective when I noticed a silver-armored Elite about to pounce on my sister with an energy sword.

Without thinking, I immediately summoned a propulsion glyph under my feet and pushed her out of the way just in time for the blade to descend onto myself.

* * *

/-\ Jaune Arc; _UNSC Road Paved With Red_ /-\

* * *

"So," I began. "my fellow team leader is actually a superhuman commando that's been fighting a war in space?"

The black-armored man nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Huh." Was the only thing I could say.

"It does explain some of her… _eccentricities…_ " Pyrrha said.

" **Attention!"** The loudspeaker suddenly shouted. **"Covenant forces inbound. External and internal contact imminent!"**

"Well, shit…" The man said before putting his hand up to his ear. "Alright Marines! I want Beta's First Squad in Engineering, Second in the forward breach. Alpha Platoon'll take the hangar bay. Helljumpers are with me. Move out!"

A cacophony of the familiar phrase "OORAH!" resounded throughout the room as people scurried along to their destinations, though the black-armored soldiers stayed.

"You said your team was combat ready?" He asked.

"Uhh, yeah?"

"Well congratulations, you've just been drafted. Follow my lead, Privates." He said as both him and his accompanying three soldiers exited the hole we came through. We all shrugged and quickly followed him. "By the way," He started as we caught up to him. "I'm Lieutenant Anderson."

As we exited the ship, several purple aircraft descended from the clouds.

The lieutenant sprinted to a tree and swiftly climbed it, his sniper rifle hanging from his back. "Contact imminent! Defensive positions!"

The rest of my team scattered, hiding behind a rock. Just as the airship was descending, we all heard wolfish howls emanating from the forest…

…followed by screaming. I instantly stood up and shouted to Mr. Anderson. "We'll go help them!"

"No! Stay here!" He shouted, but it was too late. We were already gone.

My team and I sprinted through the forest, getting closer to the source of the noise with every passing stride. Less than a minute later, we reached a clearing containing a grizzly scene.

Before us, three identical wolf-tailed girls, all armed with spears, shields, and Southern Mistrali armor were defending three heavily wounded people; their faces obscured by blood.

"Flower Power! Right!" I ordered. "Pyrrha! With me!"

I led my partner to the left, shield-bashing a Beowolf ready to pounce on one of the spearmen. Quickly ending its 'life', I moved onto my next target, a creep, while Pyrrha engaged an Ursa.

"Jaune!" I heard, but instead of doing what my partner _intended_ me to do, I just looked at her dumbly…

…and was promptly thrown into a tree by the swipe of another Ursa's paw.

I swiftly rolled to the right, avoiding a follow-up attack, and sprung to my feet.

I blocked another strike with my shield before riposting with my blade, skewering its neck.

Learning from last time, I checked around me for any more Grimm. All I found were seven dissolving ones of various types centered around Pyrrha.

I sheathed my sword before turning to the women we came to the aid of. Just as they came into view, two of them dematerialized, leaving only the center one.

She immediately turned around and tended to the wounded, only to be joined by the rest of us.

As I got to them, I saw that the three people were already dead. One was missing two limbs. Another had a trio of gigantic claw marks running from her left shoulder to her right hip. The last one was almost bit in half.

The girl was shock still, her friend's blood covering her hands. I looked at Ren, who solemnly shook his head for the second time today.

"…Why?" She said in an oddly calm voice. "W- Why can't I… Why c- can't I protect everyone?"

I paused for a moment, trying to think of _something_ I could say. I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

She looked at us, her eyes on the verge of bursting into tears. "I- It is m- my d- douleia."

Ren and Nora's eyes both widened before both moved in to comfort her. "You don't need to think about that anymore." Nora said. "No one is your master here."

"N- No… master?" She said. "B- But… _they_ were my masters." She gestured to the dead.

"Hey, hey, hey…" Nora said in a calming tone. "Don't think about them."

"You have a bright future ahead of you." Ren reassured. "One without any masters."

At this point, both Pyrrha and I were _extremely_ confused as to what was going on. "Uhh, guys?"

My teammates looked at each other for a minute before Ren stood up and led us away. Once we were out of earshot, he spoke up. "She is a former slave."

Our eyes widened. "What?! How?!" I shouted as my partner covered her mouth in silent horror.

"She referred to something called a 'Douleia', which, while it _does_ translate to 'Work', or 'Duty', in this context, its implied that it was forced upon her." He explained. "She was likely a warrior slave, meant to protect whatever village she was from."

"…How do you know this?" My partner asked.

The normally stoic man shifted slightly. "Nora and I… Well… We got around a lot before coming to Beacon…" He trailed off. Suddenly, he shook his head as if clearing unwanted thoughts. "We should get back to them. They might need help."

I agreed and, seconds later, we were back. Nora had somehow coaxed the girl out of her stupor, but the girl was now crying into her shoulder.

Nora patted her back reassuringly. "Its okay. Just let it out." This continued on for several minutes before she finally calmed down. "Better?"

She pulled back and gave a shaky nod, her tail still low. "A- A little…"

"Do you go to Beacon?" Another shaky nod. "What's your name?"

"S- Selini Lykos."

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Covenant ship _Eve of Consecration_ /-\

* * *

I spotted another contact on my motion tracker and whipped around to engage it…

…just in time to see Winter shove her sister out of harm's way.

"AAAAAAGGGHHHH!" She yelled as she collapsed, clutching the stump that was once her right arm.

I sprinted forward, shoulder checking the Elite into a wall and sending a shotgun blast directly into its skull.

"WINTER!" I heard my partner yell in horror as I rushed over to the now-unconscious body of her sister.

I instantly opened up a connection to her suit via my neural lace, bringing up all her vitals, and sighed in relief. "She's gone into shock." I announced. "The blade cauterized the wound, so she's in no immediate danger of, well, _anything_. But she still needs medical attention."

"She's going to be okay?" My partner asked, her voice full of worry.

I nodded. "Yes. But we'll need someone to carry her until-"

"I'll do it." She said. "She's my sister, and I need to make sure she's safe."

"As noble a gesture as that is, Weiss, I'm gonna suggest that _Yang_ carry her." I said. "No offense, buuuut you're not physically suited for this."

She paused for a moment before marching over to my sister. "If even a _single_ hair on her head is harmed, I'll personally freeze you solid."

I mentally thanked myself for giving them the beta-blocker, as it was probably the only reason why we weren't having an extremely heated argument at this time.

Yang nodded. "Understood." She said before picking up Winter with a fireman's carry.

"Ready?" I asked, receiving a nod. "I've got point. I want Weiss behind me, then Yang, and Blake is bringing up the rear." I ordered. "Keep your eyes peeled! Let's roll!" I said before taking off.

Just as we rounded a corner, we were presented with a mounted turret. "Suppressing fire!" I ordered, charging forward as my teammates dove behind cover.

I dodged left and right, avoiding plasmafire, as I sprinted towards my target; my shotgun pumping the entire time. By the time I reached my destination, a mountain of Covenant corpses had accumulated behind me.

With bullets at my back and plasma at my front, I leaped upwards onto the platform containing the turret, kicking an unfortunate Grunt off his post. Still midair, I grabbed the turret itself, my momentum tearing it free.

I quickly burst into rose petals, using it to arrest my momentum and nothing else, just before turning the now-dismounted turret on its creators.

"Advance!" I ordered as the enemy were distracted. The Covenant fell in droves as a combination of 7.62, 9.5, and plasma bolts tore through their ranks. "We don't have much time left!" I announced. "They _definitely_ know we're here now," I said, dropping the last covvie with the remainder of my plasma bolts. "let's sprint this!" I threw away the now-useless turret and jogged, by my standards, down the corridor.

My shotgun pumped relentlessly, weakening or outright killing the stronger enemies, while behind me, my teammates finished them off. Weiss had forgone any sort of accuracy whatsoever and was now spraying three-round bursts into anything that moved. Yang was one-handing Winter's assault rifle, downing enemy after enemy. Blake was aiming ahead of our group, headshotting Grunts or hitting the unshielded hands of Jackals.

Wherever we went, bodies piled up, and soon we were at the engine room. "Alice, escape options?" I asked.

I felt her give a mental shrug. "There's an escape pod bay a few hundred meters away. Other than that, not much on foot."

"Alright. Can you overload the reactor?"

"Hmph, can I?"

I blinked, not picking up on her sarcasm. "Can y-"

"Duh, of course I can!" She practically yelled into our comms as I withdrew my knife from the last enemy in the room. "Yank me."

I did as instructed and inserted her chip into the covvie's computers. A hologram depicting her ancient admiral avatar appeared. "Hmm… interesting…" She said.

I raised my eyebrow under my helmet. "What is it?"

"It would appear they have found what they refer to be an 'Oracle', and have stored it near the main hold."

"So? What's that got to do with nuking this place and leaving?" I asked.

"Well, besides its religious significance to the Covenant, it appears that this 'Oracle' is of Forerunner design."

"…You have my attention." I said, my inner spook winning over common sense. "Any feasible way to get there besides walking?"

Suddenly, a door opened, causing us all to point our guns at it…

…only to see two Spectres parked in a small room, unused. "Well, there's _these_."

"How far away is the target?" I asked.

"Approximately… two kilometers as the crow flies, nearly three if you account for everything."

I nodded. "Set the timer for ten minutes." I said before turning to my team. "Everyone load into one of the Spectres, I'm driving."

"Timer set, Lieutenant." She said.

"Good." I put her back into my helmet. "Let's rock."

"Uhh, Ruby?" My sister said. "There's only three other spots…"

"Heh, well, Winter's gonna sit on Weiss's lap, then." I could tell she would object to that, so I cut her off with a wave of my hand. "Unless someone knows how to pilot a Covenant Spectre, that is." It was silent. "That's what I thought, now mount up! We're on a tight schedule!"

Only seconds later, we sped out through new sections of hallways, covvies shooting at us the entire time. Blake manned the turret, spraying down any enemies that were in hard to reach places. Yang and, to a lesser extent, Weiss were sat in the passenger pods, shooting enemies with their rifles. Occasionally, a covvie would be stupid enough to get in my way. Said covvie would soon be a multi-colored splatter on the proverbial windshield seconds later.

A few enemy plasma bolts found their marks, mainly on Blake and myself, but a few came dangerously close to hitting the still-unconscious Winter. Any time a stray bolt would impact one of my teammates, they'd yelp in pain, as, while aura protected us from _damage_ , it did not mitigate pain in any way.

After only a minute and a half, we were nearing our destination. "Alice, got any new ways out?" I asked in preparation.

"Yeah, I'll highlight the closest one after you retrieve the 'Oracle'."

"Good." I said, nodding, just as we burst through the archway separating the hallways from the main hold.

To say it was massive was an understatement. Were it not for me knowing how large a CCS-class battlecruiser _actually_ was, I'd probably agree with Winter's earlier statement on how one could fit inside this ship.

Fortunately for us, the 'Oracle' was easy to spot, as the Covenant had erected a makeshift shrine around a pedestal where a silver metallic ball sat. By the looks of things, we had interrupted a sermon of some kind, as a Prophet currently had its hands in the air and its head thrown back while chanting something.

Over a hundred covvies sat around the temple in a semicircle, and it was just too much to resist hitting the boost and running over as many as I could.

"Weiss! Propulsion glyph on the Oracle!" I ordered.

"Done!" She announced as it practically flew into her hands.

Suddenly, a door opened…

…Revealing a fully armed and operational _Scarab._ "Alice! Exit, now!"

"There!" She practically shouted as a waypoint appeared on my HUD. "You have five minutes to reach that pod bay!"

I didn't need to be told twice, and I hit the boost just in time to dodge a stream of green plasma from the ultra-heavy assault platform.

Blake rained fire on our pursuer, but it was pointless. "Blake! Target the infantry! That armor's too heavy for whatcha got!" I swerved as yet another stream of plasma washed over our position, only missing us by inches.

Just as I turned my head forward again, I noticed a stream of green plasma coming towards us from the _front_ as well. "HANG ON!" I yelled and swerved, making most of them miss. Keyword being _most._

The vehicle spun and rolled, tossing us out of it.

I took it in stride and landed in a roll, my sister not far behind, but the rest of the team were either unconscious or dazed. "Yang! Grab Blake and the Oracle!" I yelled as I threw both Weiss and Winter onto each shoulder.

"Uuughhh… what's…" My partner started. "What's going on?"

"Hang in there, Weiss! We're getting out of here!" I yelled, sidestepping the four Hunters that had caused us to crash in the first place.

We dodged, weaved, slid, jumped, and dove away from plasma beam after plasma beam, desperately trying to reach our objective. "We're cutting it close!" Alice shouted in my head just as we neared the pod bay doors…

…only to notice they were closing.

It was then that I figured out we wouldn't make it. Not without a semblance, anyway.

I threw every fiber of my being into my semblance, dragging the Schnee sisters with me. The _moment_ I reached the door, I threw them through. Not even stopping to see if they landed alright, I turned around and dashed towards my sister and repeated the process.

We dove through _just_ in time to not get caught by the door. Just as I thought I had a second to relax, the on-screen timer I had set hit thirty seconds.

I shot up and grabbed everyone at once, who were all unresponsive for one reason or another, and shoved both them and the Oracle into a multi-occupant drop pod.

The second we were all inside, I hit the 'Launch' button so hard, the hardlight screen cracked.

Not a moment later, we were clear of the ship. Just as I was about to sigh in relief, an alternate screen showed that the front portion of the ship had detached itself.

As the back half exploded, and I was formulating a plan to deal with the front half, it suddenly opened a slipspace portal and jumped away.

I stood shock still, being the only one able to process it, before finally settling on collapsing in exhaustion.

"…Let's never do that again…" I muttered to myself before letting aura-exhaustion overtake me.

* * *

(A/N) …Dear god, this chapter was a fucking _monster._ Just shy of 16k words for _just_ the story portion!

For anyone wondering how the _Road Paved With Red_ ended up, only a few covvie dropships were able to respond and were dealt with easily by the marines and ODSTs, plus the Bjørnssønner and _T_Q helped too. I didn't include it because nothing plot-related really happened and there was _more_ than enough action already this chapter.

So yea, the Atlesian fleet got smeared all over the place. They had solid tactics, its just that a single CCS-class has almost the same firepower as two CPV-class destroyers and _at least_ as much shield strength. Plus, their dreadnoughts were taken out extremely early in the engagement.

Onto the Pre-Great War battleship that kinda saved Weiss when she was evacuating the city. Its inspired by the Lord Nelson-class Pre-dreadnought battleships, of which there were two built around the turn of the century by The United Kingdom. They are each named after the ship's builders, the Beardmore is named for the builders of HMS Agamemnon (William Beardmore and Company, Dalmuir) and the Palmer is named after Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Co (Jarrow, England), the builders of HMS Lord Nelson (Not Spartan Palmer). If you look up images of the class, you can get a pretty good idea of what the ship I'm mentioning looked like.

So, Selini being a former slave. Originally, I didn't plan on her being that, but the idea came when I was looking up translations for the random Greek words she splices in. I forget the exact English keyword I used, but eventually I came upon 'Douleia' for the translation. Interestingly enough, it also means 'Slavery' according to google translate. Up until then, I had only pictured her as a shy, sheltered, but extremely honor-bound girl struggling to adapt to Beacon. After that, though, everything kinda fit into place. She hadn't heard of the WF because her previous masters didn't allow her to receive news from the outside world. She was shy around humans specifically because she was oppressed due to her race. Faunus were her only friends, thus she's comfortable around Blake. The list goes on and on. In fact, I even had a little side plot planned for her where Weiss would help her learn to read, thus lessening her own racism, but I cut it for time. Also, lesser known fact, but slavery in ancient Greco-Roman society was _extremely_ commonplace. Like, more common than the pre-civil war American South. Since Southern Mistrali society is, in my opinion, based on said Greco-Roman culture, Selini's unfortunate circumstances make sense within the lore. Also keep in mind that, although they don't really touch on it in the show, Remnant's probably a severely fucked up world, with the man-eating monsters running around and whatnot.

Dear god, the assault carrier sequence was hard to write. I actually spent most of my time working on _that_ specific sequence in comparison to the rest of the chapter. Also, the time where Winter loses her arm is inspired by something that happened to me during Halo CE while researching covvie ships. Goddamn golden Elite decided to drop down from the ceiling and slice me open with his energy sword, the cheeky bastard.

In case anyone was wondering, Atlas has been, for all intents and purposes, glassed and overrun by grimm. It will _not_ be resettled in the near future. Also, yes, Ironwood's daughter is the Winter Maiden.

I haven't really nailed down Alice's personality yet, its one of the many things I'll have to think about during the hiatus… which starts now, btw.

That's all I can think of for now, so… ON TO THE REVIEWS!

 **Vesper722 –** Yea… I wouldn't go chanting for the Schnee Empire for too long, lol. You'll see why in a volume or two.

 **Irdchief -** For future reference to anyone reading this, time isn't linear between universes. I haven't found a way to include it in the actual fic yet, but 1 second in the RWBYverse =/= 1 second in the Haloverse and vice versa. In fact, the value constantly changes every arbitrary amount of time in universe. I've done this so I don't need to be as careful with how long things take in one universe if I want certain characters from one fic/universe (cough cough ASH cough cough) to influence other universes.

 **Shadow Walker of Fire –** Yes there will be shipping, but they'll take a backseat to the main plot. There is a reason why I'm including shipping, but that reason is so far down the road that it won't have any effect on any near-future events. I've already decided which ships will be in this fic, though.

 **Guest 001** – Yea… sorry about FoR… This fic plus reading has just taken up all my free time. I'm actually writing this at about 1:30am atm, lol. Yea, they very much found what they were looking for. Space is big. Like… really big… Going by conventional methods, Ruby shouldn't've even been back when she was. It would've been possibly a day or more for the distances she traveled.

 **Psp reader –** Yea, thankfully, the allies arrived before more harm could be done.

 **Raw666 –** Who said the covvies would give them a break? They sent quote 'multiple CCS-class battlegroups make it three cruisers per group' after the _Pillar of Autumn_. If they can spare _That_ kind of manpower, I'd say they even went a little light on the UNSC here.

 **Red october700** – Yea, sorry for the long wait. I don't watch _that_ much RvB anymore, but I thought it would be a funny thing to kinda lighten the 'world is ending, kill aliens' mood that had been present for the last few chapters. I like to think I succeeded. I wasn't planning on adding the Blues any time… well… at all… though that may change in the far future.

There's a lot here, so I'm gonna use multiple paragraphs. Yea, people will definitely see Weiss in a new light… either for better or worse; depending if they believe in conspiracy theories or not. Yea, radicals on _both_ sides of, well, _every_ conflict are gonna use this as a means to blame the other group. We've done far worse for far less on Earth, after all.

I haven't decided on Sienna's _true_ reaction yet, though you're right. It'll _definitely_ be more tempered than Adam's. The way I see Ilia's reaction to anything anyone says that disagrees with her is that she just blows them off. I mean, her _literal senpai_ was only _barely_ able to change her mind in cannon… and that's _after_ Ilia sold her out.

You're completely right about Adam being a product of Sienna and Ghira's feud. _One_ of them should've said something like 'Hey, shit happens in a warzone. Try not to kill people, but thanks for saving one of our lives.' That would've diffused his fall, or at least delayed it a bit.

You weren't rambling, its actually kinda fun to read fan's interpretations of everything. Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong, but it's always entertaining.

 **RedShirt1453 –** Yea… probably could've worded that better, oh well. While faunus _are_ superior to humans, I'd think that Ruby would view faunus _as_ humans, or at least a subspecies. Not all Spartans are emotionless Space Marines, take Jorge for example. Sure, Ruby would by _far_ be the most empathetic, but I made her that way because of her static-ness (if that's a word) in the show. Also, you can see the Spartan program's influence on her. For instance, she kills without hesitation or mercy if she deems it necessary or justified. Yang and Ruby will be getting a bit more interaction in the following volume. Thanks for the review!

 **LtRainbowSlash** \- …Huh… I always assumed it was .50, given that it's the standard high-caliber round of snipers everywhere. Guess its another thing to correct during the hiatus, lol. Thanks for pointing that out.

 **Dovah117** – She wasn't intended to be the John Connor of Remnant, but she's kinda heading that way, isn't she. MC will not be making an appearance in this fic. The Vytal Festival will happen… …though it'll be quite obvious when Atlas doesn't attend.

 **Helljumper206 –** When I wrote that chapter, I didn't really have any _actual_ intention of writing FoR, so I pretty much just ended up summarizing what happened during that time. Think of it as cannon only if you don't want to read that (sad, neglected) fic.

 **Trninjakiller –** I never took cannon Ruby as an erudite person, which transferred over to this fic. Even so, she has at least a _basic_ grasp of how fusion works… although she might not get hardly any of the actual terms right.

Aaaand that's all, folks! Volume One is finally done! So, now the hiatus begins. It'll last until A Summer's Harvest is over, at which point, I'll release a character short roughly one week before V2CH1 is posted. Although, I already have the name picked out. 'Keep Moving Forward' I think is a fitting title.

Also, sometime next week I'll post a short epilogue containing the review responses for this chapter, seeing as it'll be a while before the next regular chapter airs. See ya guys then!


	16. Volume 1 Epilogue - Dawn on a New World

Edited for clarity and/or minor fixes 5/3/19

* * *

Volume 1 Epilogue – Dawn on a New World

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose; Landed OIP – Unknown Continent /-\

* * *

"Uhhhhgggg…" I groaned as my eyes fluttered open, immediately closing them again as the blinding light of the sun invaded my pupils. I rolled over, noticing I was half-in and half-out of the pod in the process, before scanning the area.

Around us in all directions lay a vast, featureless desert.

Well, it _would_ be featureless were it not for the fallen piece of Covenant carrier in the distance. I stood up, brushing off my slightly sandy armor, and turned to check on my teammates.

They were all still out cold, though their vital signs indicated that they were still very much alive. I had my doubts that Winter wouldn't panic when she woke up, losing an arm isn't fun, after all, but everyone else _should_ be able to calm her down slightly. That said, its better safe than sorry.

"Hey, Alice? Ya there?"

…

"Alice?"

"What? Oh sorry, I was… uhh…" She trailed off. "Analyzing something?"

I gave a deadpan look before realizing that she couldn't see my face. "Whatever. I'm leaving you with Winter, try to calm her down when she wakes up."

"Alright." She said. "Yank me."

I retrieved her AI chip from my helmet before inserting it into Winter's. Realizing my party would be fairly vulnerable to Grimm attacks in their current state, I sealed them, and the Oracle, inside the drop pod. Alice would be able to open it should she need to.

With a sigh, I turned around and headed towards the Covenant wreck; hoping for anything that could help us.

* * *

/-\ Jacques Schnee; SDC Mantle branch office /-\

* * *

I slammed the door of my study shut, completely furious with recent events. Just as I poured myself a shot of whiskey, I heard a knock at the door.

I rolled my eyes. 'What could those ingrates _possibly_ want now?' I thought to myself. "Enter." I ordered.

The door slowly creaked open and my son walked in, closing the door behind him with an audible click. "Hello, Father." He greeted.

I clasped my hands together, resting my chin on them. "Hello Whitley." I reciprocated. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

He walked forward, hands behind his back just as I taught him. "I was told to inform you that Mother's surgery was a partial success." He said. "While she has regained feeling in her arms, it appears that she shall be a cripple for the remainder of her life." He said matter-of-factly.

I hummed. "It would seem that errant support beam did more damage than I thought." I observed. "And what of your sisters? I would prefer that Weiss be the one to announce her disinheritance, it's better for the company's image."

He shook his head. "Both remain missing. They were last seen boarding a green airship bound for the strange dreadnought."

I frowned. "Very well." I said. "If they do not return within a day, I shall declare them both deceased. You are dismissed, Whitley."

He nodded his head. "Thank you, Father." He said before swiftly exiting my study.

I quickly downed my drink and reached for another, ignoring the burning sensation in my throat, only to realize the bottle was empty.

I sighed before reaching for my scroll. "Klein, bring me a fresh bottle of Jackdaw Nielson's. I appear to have run out." I ordered before clicking the device shut.

* * *

/-\ Glynda Goodwitch; Beacon Academy Airdocks /-\

* * *

I inwardly sighed at the sight before me.

Dozens of Atlesian huntsmen-in-training exited the various airships that brought them here. Some of them didn't even seem to be mentally present, either wearing a thousand-yard stare or just oozed the feeling of _exhaustion_. Others clung to a trinket of some kind, likely a possession of a loved one. A third group had their weapons drawn, albeit at a low ready, and clutched them tightly.

My already sour mood worsened more when I realized that _these_ people were the ones deemed still mentally fit to pursue a career as a huntsman or huntress.

The amount of pure, unadulterated _devastation_ that was possible by this… _Covenant,_ as Miss Schnee had called them, was just… _staggering._

In a single night, barely even eight hours, they had done what Salem hadn't in millennia. They had managed to destroy an entire capital city… along with most of its seven million inhabitants.

Two days ago, during the 'Sunset Invasion' as it was called by the media, the aliens had managed to kill almost as many people as we ourselves did during the decade-long Great War.

Reports coming out of the area were few and far between, given the CCT was destroyed in the process, but survivors are estimated to number less than a million. The grand majority fled to Vale, with the remainder fleeing to Mantle and Argus, though scattered reports of a rogue Atlesian flotilla have made their way around.

Seeing the students had, for the most part, finished disembarking their transports, I broke myself from my introspection and gave them their instructions.

* * *

(A/N) And that's that. Volume 1 is officially done.

To clarify, I never intended this to be anywhere near a full chapter. Just to tie up some loose ends and give a bit of info about the state of the world after what could've been a literal apocalypse has been averted.

Also, I not only wanted to address reviews before the next chapter… _whenever_ that is, but also, I wanted to release the timeline I've been using making as I went… At least the V1 portion of it…

So here ya go!

* * *

Year 1581 Post-Establishment

October 24 (Su)- Ruby arrives on Remnant.

October 31 (Su)- Ruby turns 15 by Remnant standards.

November 1 (M)- Students arrive at Beacon.

November 2 (Tu)- Initiation day.

November 3 (W)- Badge and Burden pt 1.

November 4 (Th) - Badge and Burden pt 2, _WBY gossips about Ruby.

November 6 (Sa) - RWBY shops for weapons, Ruby meets and fights Qrow.

November 7 (Su) - Ruby trains _WBY in urban combat.

November 13 (Sa) - RWBY raids first Blazing Suns hideout.

November 18 (Th) - Ruby tells _WBY about her past, takes all night.

November 19 (F) - _WBY reels from the revelations, pre-Jaundice.

November 23 (Tu) – Jaundice.

November 24 (W) - RWBY resumes their raids.

December 3 (F) - Forever Fall, Blake is revealed and runs off.

December 4 (Sa) - Ruby tracks down Blake and convinces her to come back in the morning.

December 5 (Su) - Blake returns, reveals her past.

December 6 (M) - Ruby pays a visit to Junior's club and hires 'Cel'.

Year 1582 Post-Establishment.

January 1 (Sa) - Yang's 18th birthday.

January 2 (Su) - _WBY gets their Helljumper armor, Cel's report comes in.

January 4 (Tu) - Operation: BROKEN FANG, Ruby relieves Adam of Wilt and Blush.

February 25 (F) - RWBY meets Sun and Penny.

March 3 (Th) - Ruby vs Pyrrha.

March 5 (Sa) - 1st semester ends, R_BY arrives on Patch, Weiss arrives at Schnee Manor.

March 10 (Th) - Sunset Invasion begins.

March 11 (F) - Fall of Atlas, Operation: BLOOD MOON partially succeeds. Winter loses her arm and RWWBY is stranded in an unknown desert, RWWBY V1 Epilogue.

March 12 (Sa) – Jacques V1 Epilogue.

March 13 (Su) - Glynda V1 Epilogue.

* * *

And that's that. Now for part three of why this 'chapter' exists.

Reviews!

 **Helljumper206 –** I have every intention of continuing FoR alongside ASH. In fact, I kinda want to finish FoR before the main story's hiatus is over.

 **Jafr86** – Oh, you'll _definitely_ be getting a Volume 2. Just… after ASH is done. The two main reasons for the hiatus is so 1) I can plan out how the rest of the volume is gonna go without rushing anything and 2) So I don't burn myself out on writing this thing. This story will be subdivided into volumes, of which, there will be hiatuses in-between so I can either write something else or focus on a completely different activity.

 **Dragon Lord Syed 101 –** Umm… They did.

 **Dovah117 –** Yep, relic is safe and sound hiding under Beacon. Keep in mind that Atlas, the most technologically advanced kingdom on Remnant, is now glassed, so getting a proper prosthetic may be more difficult than it was for Yang in cannon. I'm just going to flat-out say that Remnant isn't a shield world, but I have something _special_ in store for that Monitor. I'm probably gonna be staying away from the big wigs in the Halo Universe, meaning Arby, Chief, Cortana etc. won't be showing up. Also, Happy New Year to you too!

 **Raw666 –** The covvies will return, either later in this fic or at the end of ASH, I haven't decided. As for their current strength, I'd probably put them at 4-6k troops (A CAS-class usually has 20k, but half were killed in Atlas [Aura's a bitch to fight against] and then, assuming roughly equal distribution throughout the ship, half were killed when the stern exploded) and no roflstomp vehicles (Scarabs). Not a bad idea with the personality of Alice, I'll look up the episode.

 **Osterreicher97 –** Yep, the Monitor is what the covvies were looking for under Atlas… though the actual Atlesians didn't know it was there. That's exactly what happened with the grimm, lol. In the show, Salem has at least _some_ control over the grimm, in this, its enough to keep them from entering a warzone for a few hours. Massacres like what happened outside Shelter 76 were pretty common, and the highest I stated was 101. Even accounting for Atlas's pride meaning half of them were unusable, that's still 50 shelters, of which, only a small fraction survived long enough to evacuate. And that's not even counting the people that died in the streets. Its my headcannon that most of the actual mining the SDC does takes place in Mantle, a city stated to be extremely poor.

Her entire life-worth was basically based on how many people she can save. Actually, that was probably literal considering her history as a slave. Mistral is _definitely_ acknowledged to be accepting of criminals in cannon (See Little Miss Malachite and her spiders).

Technically, the covvies are only flying half a ship at the moment.

Thanks! I do put some thought into the name of every chapter, though some are better than others. Looking at you 'Players and Pieces' and 'Rotenwald'…

 **Guest001 –** It'll be out _soon_. I'm not stating a deadline because, if my past is anything to go by, I'll just miss it. I do have one that I'm keeping to myself, though.

 **Kragh50 –** Thanks! I'm in the same boat with Mass Effect fics, but it doesn't stop me from reading those.

 **Mr Wolffe –** Not really… or at least, not as bad as some of my other chapters.

 **Guest002 –** Thanks! I certainly will, I just want to both plan it out and also finish up my other two ongoing fics first. I'm already at least somewhat familiar with RvB (the vault dwellers in ch14 were basically Red Team), but I'll check out the other two.

 **Guest003 –** At least since 'Halo Legends: The Package', maybe earlier. That also might be the only time Modular Dispersal Technology is actually used by the Covenant, but I'm not sure. That episode in conjunction with Halo: CE's third and last levels, 'Truth and Reconciliation'/'The Maw' are actually what I based that scene on.

 **OptimusPrime117 –** Yea… I'm gonna keep getting grief for the suit thing, aren't I?

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think augs transfer from mother/father to child. But that's still a reasonable enough reason to tell them not to have kids, so I'm gonna go with it.

 **Guest 004 –** I completely forgot about them the second they weren't relevant, lol. Congrats! Your review is the entire reason why the 'Jacques' Epilogue exists!

 **Badass154 –** Thanks!

Aaaand that's all, folks!

Ruby B-312 will return soon after the conclusion of 'A Summer's Harvest' (whenever that is) with V2CH1 'Keep Moving Forward', preceded by one week with the as-of-yet-unnamed 'Winter' Character short.

The more observant of you might've noticed that she's been added to the main character roster in the story description. I'll just say that I have plans for her and leave it at that.

Have a happy new year!


	17. Keep Moving Forward

(A/N) I kinda decided to axe the Winter Character Short mainly because what I had planned for it would only need to be explained to the rest of the cast later. And I kinda hate repetition. So you guys get this a week earlier than you would've otherwise. Also, it turned out to be ~500 words, so yeah… not a huge loss.

Also, this thing was originally scheduled to air on Sunday, but, due to a freak snowstorm trapping me in my house for the past two days, I'm _slightly_ ahead of schedule, meaning that this week's chapter (plus ASH) are airing _now_. Awesome!

One more thing, I apparently said in the timeline that they'd landed in the _Vacuo_ desert, this is not true and hadn't actually been true for quite some time before it was posted. I just must've missed it when I was going over the chapter before the thing got posted and, will be fixed once I get that far with the rewrite (don't panic, it's just me making minor fixes to the older chapters. The events depicted are otherwise exactly the same).

With that out of the way, time for Volume Two to being in earnest! Enjoy!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter One – Keep Moving Forward

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

Crash site

* * *

I was only a few feet away from our crashed Covenant OIP when I remembered that my suit still had a functional radio. Needless to say, I immediately clicked it onto a UNSC frequency…

…only to be met with deafeningly loud static…

I groaned and ran several diagnostics on my suit, thinking that I'd just damaged it. If that was the case, then I could turn back and use one of my teammate's radios, seeing as I was still practically leaning against the pod.

Unfortunately, everything came back green. The only abnormality coming from _outside_ my suit. Specifically, from the sun.

'Great…' I bitterly thought. 'Hasn't been one since I got here, so wouldn't it be _great_ if a solar flare happened _now_?' I huffed and resumed my walk to the section of covvie ship, knowing that it'd likely be our best shot at surviving until the stellar storm abated.

The walk itself was quite boring, taking an hour or so to complete. Before me stood the scorched remains of an unknown section of the Assault Carrier, the only visible breach being a partially collapsed diamond-shaped gash that lead into a dimly lit room. At this point, I briefly lamented the fact that I'd forgotten my weapons aboard the carrier, but then I remembered that, if I grabbed even _one_ , it would've meant leaving a teammate behind.

Needless to say, my regret vanished in an instant.

I drew my only weapon, a knife, and slipped my way into the ship, scanning the edges; no covvies save for the dead Brute in the corner. I moved towards it, still wary of the many shadows in this place, and picked up its discarded Spiker.

Now armed, I proceeded to scout the wreck…

…all two rooms of it…

I would've been disappointed, had the second room not held two _mostly_ functional vehicles; a Revenant and a Spectre. The only issue was that the area where the door was _supposed to be_ was currently squished under several tons of nanolaminate hull.

Fortunately, where the covvies provided an obstacle, they _also_ provided a solution in the form of a large pile of plasma batteries in the corner.

I quickly got to work moving both vehicles to the far side of the room, out of the blast zone, before preparing to detonate the batteries near the weakest point in the collapse.

The blockage itself was more a product of the adjacent room caving in rather than _this_ room doing the same, meaning that if I removed it, the room I'm in shouldn't do its best pancake impression. The operative word being _shouldn't_.

With that in mind, and the batteries in position, I took cover in a particularly sturdy-looking doorway and shot a few spikes at the makeshift-explosives, detonating them.

A slight tremor shook the wreck as the explosion boomed throughout the hull, accompanied by a deafening **-CRACK-** and the not-so-subtle groan of metal stretching to its breaking point.

When the smoke finally cleared, I was greeted by a hole about six meters in wide and four meters tall; more than enough to fit both vehicles, albeit not simultaneously.

I brought out the Revenant first, parking it a ways outside the wreckage in case something happened, before going back for the Spectre.

As I sped away in the Covenant ISV, I gave a slight chuckle at the irony that the Covenant may have unintentionally saved us from dying in this god-forsaken desert.

* * *

/-\ Winter Schnee /-\

Crash site

* * *

My eyes snapped open as I shot up, the nightmare still fresh in my mind. It took a few moments to realize that it was just a memory, one that had happened years ago.

Just as I'd calmed down, I realized that I was still wearing the helmet from the raid, given that the orange-ish HUD was still only a few inches from my face.

Instead of dealing with an odd pain in my right arm, I took to examining the small _alien_ room that I was currently entombed in. At that point, I realized that I didn't remember anything past fighting through the hallways of their ship.

A thousand possibilities ran through my mind, the most disturbing, and likely, being- 'Was I captured?'. I moved my limbs to check for any restraints while simultaneously looking for weaknesses in the structure.

My movement _was_ restrained, but upon closer inspection, it seemed that it was by the unconscious forms of my sister's team rather than _actual_ restraints. My thoughts suddenly amended my current worst-case-scenario to be 'Were _we_ captured?'.

The pain in my arm started to get worse, but I again pushed it away, this time in favor of trying to figure out why a strange alien _ball_ sat on my lap.

Deciding I didn't want it there anymore, I shoved it off with my left hand and stood up, though my muscles groaned in protest at my decision.

I stepped over the forms of my companions, who I noted were _also_ unrestrained, and arrived at a shattered console of some kind. My sister stirred, muttering something under her breath, but did not fully wake.

I couldn't make out any actual words due to them being written in an alien language, but there were a few obvious buttons on the remains of the screen. Taking a wild guess, I pressed one and in response, the side doors opened to reveal a desert.

I blinked. 'When did we get off the ship?' I mentally questioned as I strode outside. 'The last thing I remember was-' My eyes widened and my breath hitched. '…that Elite cutting through my arm…'

A searing hot pain shot through me, causing me to look down at the offending… _stump_.

I stood shock still for what seemed like hours, just staring at what I'd lost, before clutching my arm and letting out a terrified scream.

"WINTER!" I heard later, though I'm not quite sure _how much_ later. Suddenly, my sister appeared before me, helmet discarded. "Winter! Look at me!" She said.

"Weiss? Wh- wha-"

"Not important." She said. "You're going to be okay." She turned her attention to something behind me. "Blake! M- Medkit!" She looked at me again, a barely noticeable shake in her hands, as I faintly heard some shuffling behind me. "Winter, you saved my life." She said, a reassuring smile on her face. "Just take deep breaths, Blake here will take care of you."

As soon as the words left her mouth, the helmeted Faunus in question knelt down beside me and examined my injury. "Beyond giving her some painkillers, there's not much I can do." She said after a moment, giving me a pair of small, white tablets. "It's like Ruby said, she's not bleeding at all, but she still needs to get to a hospital as soon as possible to prevent an infection."

I turned to face her. "W- What about my arm?" I asked through gritted teeth.

She hesitated for a moment. "We… uhh… kinda just… left it on the ship…"

I gazed downwards, towards my stump. "So, I'm…" I sighed. "I'm… stuck like this, then…"

I felt my sister cup my cheek, bringing my gaze back to her. "No, we'll get you a prosthetic."

"Where?" I asked. "Atlas is _gone_ , Weiss. We were the only ones on Remnant with the technology to make any _real_ replacement."

"…Right…" My sister admitted.

"…What about the UNSC?" Blake suggested.

Weiss blinked. "That's… actually a good idea." She nodded. "Yes, Kat had one during Reach."

"Who are you referring to?" I asked, confused.

"One of Ruby's old teammates." My sister explained. "They grew up together and served in the same squad a number of months ago."

I was about to ask what she was referring to when my arm acted up, causing me to wince in pain. My action was mirrored by Blake, who had just torn off her helmet as well. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering up to her ears, having rarely been assigned to work with Faunus due to my heritage.

She noticed my action and raised her eyebrow. "Are you anything like your father?" She asked.

I huffed. " _Only_ in name." I growled out.

She looked to my sister for confirmation and received a nod. She turned back to me with a neutral expression. "Good." She said, simply.

At about that time, the fourth member of our little cadre rolled out of the little pod. "Uhh, guys?" She asked. "Where's Ruby?"

We all glanced at one another, blank looks on our faces. After a moment, I spotted a set of deep and large bootprints trailing their way through the arid soil towards a chunk of alien spacecraft. "She may have gone over there." I said, pointing to my observation.

Suddenly, Blake froze, her ears twitching wildly. "We'll look for her later, we've got Grimm inbound." She said, calmly.

I immediately reached for my sword…

…and promptly remembered that my primary arm had been… _severely shortened…_

Wincing, I awkwardly grabbed the hilt of my saber with my left hand; twirling it around as I brought it to bear. "How many contacts?" I asked.

She tisked. "A dozen, maybe a couple more." Her ears twitched again. "Sounds like Lesser Grimm; mostly Creeps with the odd Beowolf mixed in."

My sister nodded and turned to me. "Can you fight?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

Her gaze grew soft. "Its okay if you need to sit this one out, we can handle this."

I shook my head. "No." I said. "You forget that I am proficient with dual weapons. I am an Atlesian Specialist, not some helpless babe."

She nodded. "If you need a breather, let us know." She said before turning to Blake. "How long do we have?"

"About sixty seconds." She said.

"Okay. Yang!" She said. "You're with Winter on the left flank. Any ideas for a callsign?"

"Uhh… Fire Blizzard?" She half-suggested half-asked.

My sister shrugged. "Good enough. Blake, ETA?"

"Thirty seconds." She said, drawing a knife.

Yang's gauntlets deployed as the faint, yet familiar, sounds of Grimm in the distance reached my ears.

"Fifteen." Blake announced as I began twirling my sword experimentally.

Swinging my blade with my off-hand, while obviously _possible_ , was extremely awkward.

"Five."

I involuntarily glanced down at my stump, momentarily saddened, before pushing away that feeling for later as the familiar black-clad figures of Grimm crested a nearby hill.

"Contact." She announced, somewhat unnecessarily.

Just as the noirette had predicted, the horde was mainly comprised of Creeps, about ten or so of them, and four Beowolves. Luckily, no alphas of either species were among their number.

"Winter, after you've been engaged, hit them from behind. I shall join you."

I smirked under my helmet. "An excellent plan, sister." Moments later, their numbers crashed into ours.

I bobbed and weaved to avoid their strikes, be it from claw or jaw, though a strike or two got through due to me still not being used to only having _one_ arm to work with.

After engaging for a few seconds, I summoned a propulsion glyph under my feet and leaped onto another of its kind over my head, propelling me behind them where my sister was already hard at work.

I immediately took up a position guarding her flank, slicing a Beowolf in two in the process. Together, we hacked through the miniature horde, though I occasionally stumbled; my balance thrown off due to being roughly five pounds lighter on my right side.

I sighed, stabbing my saber into the fallen form of the last Creep on the field, as I reflected on my… _poor_ performance this day; an action thankfully unnoticed by my comrades.

I idly flicked the evaporating Grimmgore off my blade as we all scanned the area for more contacts. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blake's ear flick.

I looked at her, eyebrow raised. "Vehicle." She said. "Sounds like…" Her eyes narrowed for a moment before widening. "Covenant!"

We all took up positions behind the pod, those with ranged weapons pointing them at the general direction of their approach.

After a few seconds, a lone Spectre shot over the hillside, a familiar red helmet sticking out of the cockpit.

We all immediately relaxed our guards as Ruby pulled up next to us.

She quickly dismounted. "Saw you guys havin' a party, everything alright?" She asked.

"Uhh, you were over that hill…" Yang observed. "How'd you see us fighting those Grimm?"

She shrugged. "Smoke kinda gave it away." She gave us all a quick visual once-over. "Well, everyone _looks_ like they're still in one piece…" Her gaze hovered on me. "…More or less…"

"Hang on a minute." My sister said. "Where were you and how did you get _that_ thing?"

She thrust a thumb at the wreckage in the distance. "There's also a Revenant back there." She then clapped her hands together. "Wait, Alice was supposed to tell you where I went."

"I uhh… I thought she was with you."

She facepalmed. "Alice, get out here."

Suddenly, a voice that was not my own emanated from my helmet. "You called?"

"Alice, you were supposed to calm Winter down when she woke up…"

"Oh… right…" She said. "I've been busy, okay?"

Ruby's head tilted a few degrees to the side. " _'Analyzing things'_?" She asked sarcastically.

"Yes, actually." She responded, making me feel quite awkward considering that Ruby was looking right at me, yet not talking to me.

Ruby sighed. "You're jumping ship again."

"Okay, whenever you're ready."

"Winter, I'm just gonna get her chip outta your helmet, quick."

I blinked. "When did she even-"

"After we landed." She dismissed with a wave before reaching behind my head and retrieving a computer chip of some kind. She examined it for a moment before inserting it into her own helmet. "Okay, with that out of the way, who here knows how to drive?"

Blake and I both raised our hands.

She just stared at me for a minute. "Winter, no offense, but it's hard enough to drive a gravlift vehicle with _two_ arms the first time around."

I unconsciously slumped a few degrees. "Understood." I said.

She then turned to the other prospective driver. "Alright Blake, mount up." She ordered. "I'll teach you the basics of driving this thing while we go get the Revenant."

She nodded and quickly assumed her position before they drove off. I, meanwhile, took a seat on the dry ground and slumped against the pod.

I sighed. "Weiss," I called. "can you… help me get this helmet off?" I asked, knowing It would be difficult for me to do it with only one hand.

"Of course." She said, quickly taking a knee beside me and removing my helmet with a **-snap hiss-**. I was immediately greeted by an almost overwhelming heat wave, the dry air not helping things.

My sister still wore her helmet, though her visor was depolarized, allowing me to see her look of concern. We locked eyes for a moment before she looked away and settled down beside me in silence.

I could tell that she wanted to say something, but she just couldn't put it into words. After several minutes, she settled on merely snuggling up to me and resting her head atop my shoulder plate, our armors clanking awkwardly as they contacted.

At her gesture, the somewhat tense silence turned into a comfortable one. It wasn't long before my eyelids started becoming heavy. Even though I'd woken up less than half-an-hour ago, I was still worn out by the stress of 'today's revelations.

Moments later, I slipped into unconsciousness, a ghost of a smile on my face.

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna /-\

Somewhere in the desert; nighttime

* * *

We'd been driving for hours now. Ruby and her sister leading our duo of vehicles in the Revenant while the Schnee sisters and I rode behind them in the Spectre.

Occasionally, we came across a small pack of Grimm. The smaller ones were easily dispatched by a combination of their plasma mortar and our mounted turret, though the larger ones also happened to be slow enough for our vehicles to outrun.

Comms were still down on account of the 'solar storm' Ruby told us about earlier, meaning the first time any of us knew there was any danger was generally signaled by someone on either vehicle opening fire randomly.

Currently, my teammates occupied each of the passenger seats, Weiss having abandoned the notion of manning the turret 24/7 long ago due to exhaustion; both mental and physical. Her sister was given the duty of holding the Oracle that we'd retrieved from the assault carrier.

'It's not like their lack of morale isn't justified, though…' I mentally noted. 'I mean, if Kuo Kuana was glassed and we Faunus were forced to abandon our home, I would be pretty depressed, too…'

I was brought out of my ruminations when Ruby's Revenant slowed to a stop in front of us. I pulled up next to my leader, who made a slicing motion over her throat, prompting me to shut off my vehicle and hop out.

Still not knowing what was wrong, I approached her and asked. "We've been on the road long enough, its time for you guys to rest." She said, stretching her arms over her head. "Can you get a bead on which direction we need to head in tomorrow?" She asked.

After we'd arrived back at the pod, Ruby had figured out that we had landed in a different desert than the Vacuoan one, considering that the clocks on our suits showed it should've been around 2am when the sun was high in the sky. This led us to believe we were somewhere in the east, either on Anima or Menagerie.

Knowing that _both_ deserts lied to the east of the nearest civilization, Ruby had led us west. Now that it was nighttime, though, it was time to see exactly _where_ we were.

I looked for my favorite childhood constellation, the Wandering Feilong. If we were in Menagerie, it would be visible in its entirety. But if we landed to the north, in Anima, only its tail could be seen.

After a few moments of scanning the myriad of lights, I found what I was looking for and let a small smile climb onto my face. Before me was the full form of the Wandering Feilong; its maw agape, pointed towards the west, while its coiled body pointed north.

"We're in Menagerie." I announced, pulling off my helmet. "Ugh, these helmets were _not_ meant for Faunus…"

She just shrugged. "Alright, then. Get some rest, I've got watch covered for tonight."

I raised an eyebrow. "You should get some too… at some point, at least."

She climbed aboard the Spectre and took a seat next to the turret, her Spiker lazily leaned against the turret ring. "I'm a Spartan, remember?"

I rolled my eyes before letting out a long yawn. "…Fine…" I relented. "Just… wake someone if you're tired, okay?"

She just shrugged as I walked away. The others, already having overheard our conversation, were sat In between the two vehicles, doing their best to find a comfortable position.

I sighed as I sat down, my breath forming a barely visible fog in the crisp nighttime desert air, and settled in for what was probably going to be a _very_ long night…

* * *

My eyes fluttered open… again…

'How many times is that, now?' I mentally asked myself. 'More importantly, did I _actually_ manage to get some sleep this time?' I glanced around at my surroundings, trying to gauge how much time had passed.

My partner looked like she'd completely given up on sleeping and was now laying in the center of our little camp, eyes scanning the stars. I couldn't tell if they were lilac or blue, as there wasn't enough light for my own eyes to register color.

Winter and Weiss looked to be having more success than either of us were at sleeping, though I couldn't really tell beneath their polarized visors. A quick shushing motion from the elder of the two sisters told me otherwise, though.

I quietly craned my neck over to where I'd last seen Ruby and, surprise, surprise, she was wide awake. Her helmet silently scanned the perimeter, moonlight occasionally glinting off her silver visor.

"She's awake, you know." Ruby said, suddenly.

Her partner sat up straight, having previously been slumped against Winter, and gave a huff of annoyance. "Doesn't mean I can't try to _not_ be…" She muttered, taking off her helmet in the process. She gave off another sigh. "Well, Winter, I guess I was wrong."

"Oh?"

"It _is_ actually possible to have a worse birthday than my thirteenth." She commented, dryly.

Winter, still unable to take off her helmet with one hand, reached up and depolarized her visor, revealing a pair of sorrowful eyes.

"Weiss…" She trailed off, causing her sister to practically latch onto her.

My Faunus ears heard a faint sniffle come from her form, her breathing becoming slightly ragged. "I…" She started. "I know I don't say it very much but… I love you…"

I saw a single tear trace its way down the Elder Schnee's cheek. "I love you too, Weiss."

A few minutes passed in silence, Yang and I just awkwardly sitting and/or laying about before they released their embrace.

Winter turned to our resident Spartan. "You said that this wasn't a suicide mission…" She trailed off.

"Yeah, so I did." She said, shrugging.

"You _also_ said that you have been on _true_ suicide missions before."

"Mhmm…"

Winter's eyebrow raised. "Care to elaborate?"

"I guess I _did_ say I'd tell you later…" She sighed. "Gather 'round kiddos, its storytime…" She said without any enthusiasm.

Yang sat up to face her sister and I merely took a spot next to her.

"What do you guys think of me?" She asked, suddenly. "I mean of my abilities, specifically."

"Honestly?" Yang started. "They're uhh… they're _amazing_."

"We've seen you drag a multi-ton car around like its nothing." Weiss commented.

"You beat _Adam_ in melee combat and took his weapon." I answered.

"The Covenant that were butchering my troops shook in fear when you arrived." Winter added. "What does this have to do with my question?"

"Just hang on a minute, I'm getting there." She said. "Just so ya know, I wasn't always this way." She said, causing us all to collectively blink in surprise. She looked down at the ground. "I was fifteen at the time. Augs were a few years behind me and I'd already had a few major engagements under my belt. I was pretty confident in my abilities at the time and I had a score to settle with the covvies after I fought on Actium a few months earlier."

She gave a dry chuckle. "Oh, if only I'd known just what the hell they had in store for us…" She trailed off. "Anyway, ONI somehow found a covvie fuel refinery in the 51 Pegasi system and decided that it needed to die." She tsked. "Naturally, the brand-spanking-new company of three-hundred-one Spartans came to mind."

"Three…" Yang almost babbled in disbelief. "Three… _hundred_?! Three hundred of… _you_?!"

"Heh, well… not exactly…" She trailed off. "We didn't have MJOLNIR, nor did we have aura… And most of the company was only twelve."

"Twelve?!" Winter shouted. "They put _children_ on a mission you described as _suicidal_?!"

Her head snapped to winter. "There's a very old saying in UEG space, one that goes back hundreds of years." She said. "'When extinction is on the line, every alternative is preferable.'"

"But they were-"

"It doesn't matter what they were!" She shouted, suddenly. "Because they're all dead… All of 'em except Me, Tom, and Lucy…" She sighed. "No more questions. I promised you I'd tell you what happened, and I'm gonna do it then get back to pretending it didn't happen."

She sighed again. "Where was I? Oh yeah… I _really_ don't wanna go into details about this, so I'll just give you the abridged version. Shit goes sideways and Lisette and I were separated from the main group from the get-go. After we caught up with them, we immediately had to dive into the ocean to avoid being obliterated by a nuclear blast. We couldn't find our exfil craft, so we waited for more covvies to show up."

She sighed. "When they did, they bring along this _huge_ Brute, fucker took us both on at once and _won_." She said. "Lisette was wounded and we pulled back. In my panic to save her, I let my guard down and… she had to jump in front of the Brute's hammer to save me…"

Her helmet declined a few degrees before she continued. "I… I don't know what happened for a while after that. Everything went white and when I came to, all the covvies in the area were dead." She paused for a moment. "I barely noticed it at the time, but _that_ is when I'd unlocked my aura. I escaped that planet on the corvette, but they were sloppy and left invasion plans for Draco III pretty much pulled up on their console. Instead of going back, I wanted revenge, and so that's where I went."

"And became the infamous 'Reaper of Draco'…" I commented, remembering that she'd mentioned it during the showing of her time at Reach.

"Yeah, pretty much…" She said. "So there you have it. Three-hundred-one Spartans go in, three come out. Sounds pretty suicidal to me…"

There was a long pause before Winter spoke up again. "…How do you deal with this?" She asked.

"Not really much you _can_ do…" She said. "I guess just take things day by day. It's what's kept me going…"

"What did you do after that… mission?" Winter carefully asked.

Ruby hummed. "After ONI did some tests on me, I got issued a set of MJOLNIR MkIV and sent on various solo missions." She shrugged. "So, I guess I became a lone wolf. 'Bout a year or so before Reach, I got this armor. Afterwards… well… you guys know the rest."

Winter raised her eyebrow. "I don't."

Weiss waved her off. "I'll fill you in later." She glanced towards her partner. "There is no need to bring up any _more_ memories at the moment…"

Ruby gave her a Spartan Smile. "Thanks, Weiss." She said. "Anyways, you guys should get some sleep. The sun will be up in a few hours and we're moving out at dawn."

With that, we all assumed our previous resting positions and _tried_ to get some sleep.

* * *

/-\ Professor Ozpin /-\

Beacon Academy

* * *

I gazed out the window of my office, specifically to the strange dreadnought that hovered above Vale. We'd not heard anything from them, nor did they send any emissaries to us.

I sighed. 'Perhaps I should be content they did not simply attack us like the Covenant did…' I mused as another shuttlecraft was disgorged from the ship's ventral hangar, no doubt loaded with refugees as all others had been.

I looked downwards, toward our courtyard, where Glynda stood at the head of a crowd of students. Their individual forms were almost lost in the crowd from this distance, but I could still sense their weariness.

I'd given her orders to house the Atlesians in the guest dorms. We would be hard pressed for space once the Mistrali students arrived for the Vytal festival, but, as always, we at Beacon shall endure.

Suddenly, I heard my desk chime, signaling that someone was requesting entry. I spun my chair around and saw it was one Jaune Arc. I let out a hum as I accepted his entry into my office.

Around a minute later, the elevator doors opened, revealing the somewhat fidgety teen.

"Ah, Mister Arc." I greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"Uh-umm… I'm just wondering if you had any updates on Team RWBY…" He asked.

My ever-present smile dropped slightly at their mention. "Unfortunately not, Mister Arc." I said. "The last they were seen was on board the strange dreadnought over there, though I'm told that they, along with Specialist Schnee, were planning to board a Covenant capital ship in orbit and destroy it."

He blinked. "Umm… how did you know that?"

"Mister Xiao Long as well as Mister Branwen forwarded me the information."

He nodded. "Oh yeah, they helped us out at that crashed dreadnought over in Bar." He paused. "Did I tell you about that? I can't remember…"

"You, personally, did not. However, you _did_ inform Miss Goodwitch, who, in turn, informed me."

"Okay…" He said. "Just… please let me know when you find out anything…" He said, walking back towards the elevator.

I nodded. "Very well, Mister Arc." I said as my desk chimed again. This time, it was General Ironwood who requested entry.

I hit 'accept' the moment I saw his name flash across my screen. The elevator dinged and James strode out, replacing Mister Arc.

The man before me wore a wary look, the ever-present bags under his eyes only having grown since I last saw him.

"Ozpin." He greeted.

"General." I reciprocated.

We fell into a somewhat tense silence for a few moments before he sighed and dragged a chair over to my desk, promptly collapsing into it after it was placed.

He ran his fingers over his tired features. "One old battlecarrier, one barely-flying dreadnought and five destroyers…" He said, finally. "That's all that made it…" He sighed. "Ozpin, what do we do?"

"This foe is one unlike any we have faced." I said. "As reluctant as I am to admit it… I am just as lost as you are, James." I paused. "Though I am quite curious as to why you didn't retreat to Mantle instead of Vale."

He sighed once more. "…Because Mantle _legally_ belongs to the Schnee Dust Company, not Atlas…"

I blinked. "Care to elaborate?"

"I'm sure you remember the Atlesian Recession a few years ago." I nodded. "Well, it was caused, in part, by civil services in Mantle draining the economy too much. When Jacques learned of our troubles, he offered to buy the city behind closed doors." I sighed. "One of the clauses of the agreement prevents an 'Atlesian Occupation'," He said with airquotes. ", in other words, our military isn't welcome there. Period."

"So in other words, you have an army, but no state with which to support it." I surmised.

"Yes…" He said, grimly. "Ozpin, _please_. My men have nowhere to go. I don't care if we're assimilated into the Valerian Defense Force, we just need a home."

I sighed. "If it were up to me, I would accept your proposal right here, right now." I said, causing a wave of relief to flash across his face. "However… this is too big for someone in my position to give the final say on." His face tensed once more. "Unfortunately, I must get the _council_ involved in this, though it _is_ within my power to offer you a safe haven until they have reached a decision on what to do with your soldiers."

"Thank you, you won't-"

"On one condition." I added.

"…Name it." He reluctantly said.

"Your men have experience fighting this so-called _Covenant_. I want detachments sent to every branch of the VDF in order to prepare them for the threat, should it arrive on _our_ shores as well."

"Done." He said. "Now that we're on the same side, what is the strength of the Valerian Air Navy?"

"Last I checked, three Warden-class destroyers and one old Emerald-class cruiser, though it's been mothballed for a number of years, now." He started walking away, but I caught his attention again. "One more thing, I would like at least one of your Specialists to accept a teaching job at Beacon." I said. "My students will likely take part in the defense, should we be attacked as well, and I want them to be prepared."

"I'll see what I can do… Last I checked, Specialist Schnee was the only remaining member. I last saw her boarding a green airship with one 'Spartan B-312'."

I raised an eyebrow. "Miss Rose? Hmm… that complicates things." I said. "She and her entire team are currently missing, last seen on the strange dreadnought about to board and destroy a Covenant capital ship in orbit."

"Survival would not be likely on such a mission…" He responded with a heavy heart. "If I am correct, would a fourth-year student from Atlas Academy be acceptable?"

I nodded, grimly. "Do the best you can, James."

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna /-\

Near Kuo Kuana

* * *

I couldn't help but be a bit nervous as we approached the gates, given that we were driving two Covenant vehicles. Thankfully, though, Ruby had thought ahead and stopped us before we had come into visual range of the city.

While we were stopped, she told Yang and I to take off our helmets, showing that we weren't as alien as the vehicles we were driving. I'd advised against the Schnees doing the same, considering that many here in Menagerie harbored a significant hatred for their entire family. It was much better for them to be faceless soldiers rather than hated Schnees.

We also decided that my vehicle would lead our tiny caravan, seeing as they would give the Chieftain's daughter little trouble when entering the city.

I slowed my vehicle as we approached the wooden walls of my hometown, a stylized purple visage of a Belladonna plant adorning the gatehouse.

"Huh…" My partner, who was sitting beside me in one of the passenger seats, let out. "Kinda looks like your uhh… your emblem…"

I rolled my eyes as we came to a stop. "Yes, but mine doesn't have the full plant, only the flower." I commented as a trio of guards warily approached.

"State your business." The lead one said, his subordinates' weapons drawn.

"We crashed out in the desert." I started. "We have _very_ limited resources and seek refuge in Kuo Kuana."

He raised an eyebrow, obviously not recognizing me. "You'll need to see the Chieftain," Ruby visibly winced at the title. "he is a very busy person and I doubt he would have time for-"

"You doubt he would have time for his daughter?" I interrupted, eyebrow raised.

His eyebrows practically shot into space, now noticing the family resemblance between my mother and I. "I'm uhh… I'm gonna need to see some ID."

I nodded, reaching into my pocket and producing my Beacon Student ID.

He checked it over for a moment before handing it back. "Open the gate!" He shouted before turning back to me. "Sorry about this, Miss Belladonna. We weren't expecting you."

I gave a hum of acknowledgement. "It was a surprise for us, too."

With that, we proceeded inside the walls, leaving our vehicles in a garage just inside, and started our walk towards the 'palace', if you could call it that…

We received several strange looks along the way, not that I could blame them, though. Most were directed at Winter's missing arm, others, at our armor. I walked close to my partner, glaring at those who would sneer at the fact that she obviously wasn't a Faunus.

Though they were few and far between, it was still enough to make Yang stick to me like glue. She didn't do so for fear of her own safety, as she could more than easily enough dispatch any attackers, but instead out of nervousness and lack of confidence.

The looks Winter got, however, were one of pity. People would look at her and feel _sorry_ for her, a fact that I could tell, even under her helmet, made her angry. Though her helmet remained facing forward, I could tell that she was giving out death glares like cotton candy.

Other than those who noticed us, Menagerie was a welcome change from the warzone that had engulfed Atlas. People went about their daily lives as if nothing was wrong in the world: vendors peddled their wares to just about anyone walking by; children ran throughout the crowds just being… _children_ ; people took their significant others on lunch dates, or maybe even just treated their families.

I sighed, wondering if everything would remain the same when the news got here of Atlas's fall. Already, I heard a few offhanded complaints of how the CCT was down, though no one knew why.

Ruby, as we crested Kuo Kuana's overlooking hill, spoke up. "Heh, maybe I should've called _you_ princess, Blake."

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, I'm no more a princess than Weiss."

The girl in question cleared her throat. "I'll just point out that the Belladonna home is larger than the Schnee mansion when you account for GDP differences between Menagerie and Atlas."

Ruby chuckled. "See? Even she's on board!"

"But the Schnee mansion _is_ bigger." I pointed out.

"I'm sure you have more servants per capita than Schnee manor."

I smirked. "Actually, Menagerie has almost five-and-a-half million inhabitants."

"Are you guys _seriously_ having a 'no, _you're_ richer' fight?" Ruby interrupted. "Because that's what it sounds like."

My cheeks heated up when I realize that, yes, we _were_ having a 'no, you're richer' fight. "Well, we're almost there." I said, trying to change the subject.

A pit formed in my stomach as we ascended the steps, going through scenario after scenario of my family's disapproval of my actions.

When I crested the top and reached for the door knocker, I hesitated.

"Something wrong?" Ruby asked.

"N- No…" I said. "Just…" I sighed. "I haven't seen them in a long time, okay?"

"Heh, well, at least _your_ family didn't think you were dead."

Yang gave out a nervous chuckle.

"I suppose…" I said, taking a deep breath and using the offending item.

I winced as the loud **-bang -** reverberated throughout the air, involuntarily taking a step back.

I stood nervously for several seconds before the door opened, revealing the hakama-clad form of my Mother.

She scanned our little group with her eyes before settling on me. She gasped. "…Blake?"

* * *

(A/N) I know, I know, kind of a dick move to cut it off there, but this thing is already long enough, given that it's 6.4k and climbing. Also, there is a _lot_ for Team RWWBY to unpack to Kali and Ghira… …like the fact that Atlas no longer exists because of aliens. Really sounds like a conspiracy theory when you put it like that…

On the fact that Mantle officially belongs to the SDC, and therefore, _Jacques_ , I wanted the Atlesian Remnants to pretty much flock to Vale for reasons that will be addressed later and this seemed like the best way to accomplish that. Look at it from this perspective: Atlesian gov has a financial problem; the SDC can summon literal _fleets_ of trucks laden with money at a moments notice, but they also need a place to do their less-than-moral things; one carefully-worded contract later, and everyone's problems are solved. The Atlesian Council doesn't care about the military clause because "Its _Mantle_ , who gives a shit about it anyways? It's not like we'll ever _need_ it for anything…"

There was only one review that really needed addressing over the past ~4.5 months, and that's that someone was wondering if I'd ever do a 'canon RWBY reacts to Ruby B-312' or something similar. The short answer is 'no', but the long one is 'possibly in an indirect way involving both Team RWBYs'

Anyways, that's all I had to say on this chapter. Have a wonderful day, and 'For Those We Cherish' is next up.


	18. For Those We Cherish

(A/N) No ASH this week, because I've decided that there needs to be one more chapter in this fic than I originally thought. The reason should be obvious after this chapter.

Also, I've begun porting this story over to Space Battles. A chapter gets posted every morning (my time) and its currently on ch5, with ch6 going up tomorrow. One of the reasons I'm doing this because SB is a _lot_ better when it comes to reader interaction. If you do decide to go visit that version, please refrain from spoiling anything. If the schedule holds, they'll be caught up on May 6th with the main fic, ASH being a day or two behind since I'll start posting that after FoR finishes (I'll start posting that along with ch7, which is scheduled for Tuesday). Updates here will not cease, in fact, they won't be affected at all.

Also, there will be the occasional lore post over there under the "Apocrypha" section. The first one is already up, covering Ruby's assessment of the Blazing Suns gang (those mooks that RWBY started beating on in V1Ch6 "Ink").

With that out of the way, on with the show!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Two – For Those We Cherish

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna /-\

Kuo Kuana – Belladonna Residence

* * *

My ears flattened against my head in hesitation. "…Hi… mom…" I managed to get out, a nervous smile on my face.

Eyes wide and mouth slightly agape, she strode forward and enveloped me in a hug, not muttering another word beforehand. "My baby girl…" She let out.

Finally recovering from my shock, I returned the embrace, slightly nuzzling my head into hers.

"Kali? Who is it?" A male voice boomed from inside the house. Looking up, I saw the source to be my father, who's eyes widened to almost comical proportions after he recognized me. "… _Blake_?" He gasped out.

I gave him a nervous smile. "Yeah…" I muttered. "I'm home."

A grateful smile crawled its way onto his face. "Well, come in!" He said, gesturing inside before turning to my mom. "Kali, would you be a dear and brew up some tea?"

She nodded and got to work as my team and I headed inside. "So, not that I'm not overjoyed that you're back, but why are you here?" He asked. "And who are your friends?"

I gave a nervous chuckle, not looking forward to explaining the first question. "Well…" I said, deciding to pretend said question didn't exist for the time being. "this is my team." I said. "I'm uhh… going to Beacon now."

He blinked. "You're becoming a huntress?" He asked, almost in disbelief.

"Yeah. I think it's time I used my skills for something good." I said, casting a glance at Ruby, who was leaned against one of the pillars in the entryway.

"Well, if it makes you happy, then I'm behind you one-hundred-percent." He said. "Though I do believe introductions are in order." He turned to face my team. "I'm Ghira Belladonna, Chieftain of Menagerie and Blake's Father."

Ruby nodded, popping off her helmet. "Ruby Rose, leader of Team RWBY." She gestured to her sister.

She stayed silent for a few moments before getting the hint. "Oh, uhh… Yang Xiao Long." She said. "I'm Blake's partner and Ruby's sister."

My father's eyes glanced between the two. "Forgive me, but I don't see it."

Ruby shrugged. "We're half-sisters." She clarified.

"Ah." He let out before looking towards Weiss. "And you are…?" He asked as my mom re-entered the room.

"Dad," I said before she could answer. "just… keep an open mind, please."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh-kay…?"

Weiss cleared her throat before removing her helmet. "Weiss Schnee, heiress to-" She stopped herself, shoulders slumping in the process. " _Former_ heiress to the Schnee Dust Company…"

I blinked. "When did _that_ happen?"

"You're on the same team as a _Schnee_?" My father asked, finally getting over his shock.

I sighed. "I'll admit, it was a little rocky at first…"

"That's putting it mildly." Weiss commented.

"But after we got to know each other, I realized that she is _nothing_ like her father." I said, conviction evident in my voice. "I'll even go so far as to call her my friend."

Weiss gave a grateful smile. "A feeling which is returned, Mister and Missus Belladonna."

My father studied our expressions for a moment, looking for any trace of deceit. When he found none, he sighed. "Well, I suppose any friend of Blake's is a friend of ours." He said before looking to Winter, his eyes glancing down to her missing arm. "I hope that you're not as… _interesting_ as your teammate here, umm…" He studied her. "I'm sorry, but it is a little hard to tell whether you're a man or a woman under that armor."

Winter glanced at her sister before knocking on her helmet.

"Oh, of course." She said before scurrying over to her and removing the offending piece of armor.

Winter sighed after her face was revealed. "Apologies for that, but… _this_ …" She gestured to her stump. "…is somewhat of a hindrance." She finished. "Lieutenant-Colonel Winter Schnee of the Atlesian Specialist Corps, Chieftain."

He blinked before looking to me. "You know, if someone told me yesterday that my daughter would show up at my door with the two Schnee Sisters in tow, I'd've called them crazy."

Ruby shrugged. "Eh, in my experience, crazy is an everyday thing."

"Indeed it is, especially with rumors of an alien invasion taking place in _Atlas_ of all places." He said, looking pointedly at Weiss towards the end.

Catching his unasked question, she spoke up. "They aren't rumors, it actually happened."

He raised an eyebrow. "With the CCT down, we don't have access to anything beyond your word."

"Actually," Alice said from within Ruby's helmet, finally joining the conversation. "while I was in Atlas, I downloaded several clips of the Covenant engaging Human forces." She paused. "Including one Weiss Schnee defending a group of Faunus civilians from a Brute Chieftain."

Ruby grew a wide, proud smile as I raised an eyebrow. "Heh, knew ya had it in ya, Ice Queen." She said before turning back to my dad. "You want proof? Get us a projector."

* * *

My father looked at us in shock. "You…" He trailed off. "You really _were_ telling the truth…" He slumped down into a nearby chair. "This changes… _everything_ …"

Over the last few minutes, we showed him various clips of the Fall of Atlas, in addition to an abridged version of Operation: BLOOD MOON.

"Yeah…" I let out, my ears drooping. "I just wish that Ilia could've put aside her differences with you." I said, looking at Weiss.

"I beg your pardon?" She responded, eyebrow raised.

"You know that White Fang girl in Atlas?" I asked, receiving a nod. "That's Ilia." I said. "We were friends, once. Back when I was still a member."

"Oh…" She let out.

Winter raised an eyebrow, her hand unconsciously moving towards her blade. "You were in the White Fang?"

Before I could answer, _Weiss_ of all people came to my defense. " _Former_." She clarified. "As in 'not with them anymore'." She placed a hand on her sister's. "Winter, she has proven time and time again that she is trustworthy and means us no harm."

"Very well." She said after a few moments before releasing a small sigh. "I suppose I should've realized that when her father was once the High Leader."

"Indeed." Weiss said, curtly, before turning to my father. "Speaking of my sister, Blake said that you knew a doctor we could trust to not reveal our identities?"

He blinked. "Oh, of course. We really _should_ get that looked at." He said before turning to me. "Will you be alright while the Schnees and I step out?"

I quirked an eyebrow. "I thought we were going with."

"His office is a little… _small_ for this many people." He clarified. "The three of us plus him will be cramped enough as it is."

My eyes flicked to Weiss, who gave me a nod. "Alright." I said.

The two Schnees then donned their helmets, Winter managing to without assistance at her behest, before setting off with my father.

"So… uhh… now what?" My partner asked.

I shrugged. "Anything you'd like to do?"

"Maybe…" She let out. "Do you… uhh… like… have a change of clothes?"

I rolled my eyes, realizing that I _also_ wanted out of this thing. "I didn't exactly _plan_ to leave home, so, assuming my parents didn't clean out my wardrobe, I _should_ have some spare clothes that would fit you, Yang." My gaze flicked to her sister. "…Not so much for you, though, Ruby."

"Eh, I'm used to sleeping in my undersuit." She said, shrugging. "Got a place to leave my armor for the time being?"

"Are you fine with it laying on the floor?"

"It'll only be for a day or so, so yeah."

I nodded. "Then I'll show you to the guest rooms." I said before leading the sisters away.

* * *

At first, I didn't know where I was.

Fires burned all around me, thick smoke obscuring any vision beyond a few feet. Oddly enough, my breathing was unaffected.

I barely batted an eye when ruined buildings suddenly appeared out of the smoke.

What _did_ give me pause, however, was when bodies revealed themselves some seconds later.

"Blaaaakkkeeee…" A masculine voice taunted from behind, causing me to freeze up.

I heard a few steps from the same location, each a heavy **-thump-** into the cracked pavement.

I slowly turned around, eventually coming face-to-mask with _Adam_.

"I'm still coming for you, Blake." He said, a devilish smile on his face.

Suddenly, he reached towards his mask, removing it.

Instead of his Schnee-like blue eyes, the offending object gave way to the face of an Elite.

An energy dagger sprang forth from his wrist as his split jaw formed into a _perversion_ of a grin. "And _this_ time, you won't get away."

He sprang forward, his weapon burning a hole in my chest.

* * *

I shot out of bed, heart pounding, and scanned the area. My head swiveled side to side, arms raised in defense, for several moments before realizing it was just a particularly bad nightmare.

I breathed a sigh of relief, allowing myself to slide along the wall onto the floor. I sat there for several minutes while my heartrate fell back to normal levels.

Finally, I got up, deciding that I wouldn't be able to get any more sleep no matter how much I tried. Looking at the clock, I sighed, 4:37am. I told myself that I was just getting a nap in before supper, like _that_ would happen…

'Guess I'll join Ruby on her workout…' I decided. '…If she even goes, since we're in Menagerie.'

I silently stalked the hallways, my Faunus ears hearing my parents' sleeping breaths as I passed their room on my way downstairs. As I reached the first floor, my hearing perked up at a feminine sigh coming from the dining room.

Raising an eyebrow, I poked my head into the offending room. Inside sat a slightly downcast- "Weiss?" I asked, startling her slightly.

She looked up from her otherwise empty spot at the table, a tired look in her eyes. "Oh, hello Blake." She answered before letting out a yawn.

I strode into the room. "What's got you up so early?"

Her eyes trailed back down to the table. "Couldn't sleep…"

I hummed, catching her hint. "Sorry I slept a bit longer than I wanted. How is Winter?"

"The doctor gave her some painkillers and antibiotics. He said that she should see someone every week or so until its healed." She looked up at me, a ghost of a smile on her face. "He said she was going to be alright." She paused. "I mean… I knew she would be but… it's just good to hear someone else say it."

"That's good." I nodded. "So, what did I miss, then?"

"Not much, if we're being honest." She said. "We just explained to your parents what was going on, _what's_ out there, and then Ruby asked for passage back to Vale for the team."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Why doesn't she just wait out the solar storm?"

"She said she has no idea how long it'll last, and that it might be faster to take a ship rather than wait." She explained. "Something about our sun being a… oh, what did she call it? Gee-Zero-One-Bee, I think." She shrugged. "I don't know what it means, but that's what she said."

I hummed in acknowledgement. "Did she say when we were leaving?"

She nodded. "There's a ship leaving tonight for Vale, though it has a stop in some Mistrali town."

"Likely Lán Guānkou." I said. "It's the only Faunus friendly port on the Anima side of the Serpentine Strait."

She blinked. "Really? I thought there would be more, considering that Valerian territory is just across the sea."

"You'd think so…" I said, my ears flattening against my head. Suddenly, I heard heavy footsteps coming from upstairs. Checking the time, I realized that it was almost five. "I think Ruby's up." I announced. "I'm planning on working out with her this morning, how about you?"

She sighed. "Well, I suppose it beats staring at a coffee table all morning." She stood up, brushing off her knees before we were joined by our leader and, surprisingly, her sister.

The Spartan blinked. "Huh, didn't know you guys were up."

"Well, we are." Weiss said. "Mind if we join you this morning?"

She shrugged. "Eh, couldn't hurt." She said. "Actually, I've got an idea, get your armor on." She turned to Weiss. "You _especially_ need to, considering you're uhh…" She gestured all around her face. "ya know…"

"Point." She said before we all marched off to our rooms, preparing ourselves for an odd one.

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\

* * *

"Alright." My partner said, clapping her hands together. "It's been a while since we've practiced free running, and Menagerie's a lot different from Vale."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's a good idea in the rain?"

"Yeah… uhh… wouldn't that make everything slippery?" Yang asked.

She waved us off. "Eh, even if you weren't using aura for _some_ reason, you're all wearing your armor. If you fell, you'd be fine." She said. "Plus, the gloves make gripping things a little easier."

"Speaking of the armor, its significantly heavier than what we're used to." Blake pointed out. "And not to mention _not_ Faunus friendly." She said, wincing.

"You wanna take off the helmet? Go ahead. Just clip it to your belt." She responded. "You've got nightvision anyways, so VISR doesn't matter." Yang reached up to remove her helmet as well, but her sister stopped her with a wave of her hand. "Not you." She said. "You _don't_ have nightvision, and it's almost two hours before sunrise." The blonde in question grumbled in agreement before Ruby continued. "But anyways, how safe is this place at this time in the morning?"

Blake hummed; helmet already locked at her hip. "The nocturnal Faunus are still up, so it really depends on the location. If we don't stray too far from the main road, though, we'll be fine."

Ruby nodded. "Alright." She then turned to the entire team. "What's my rule number one about walking around?"

""Never go anywhere unarmed."" We all answered simultaneously.

"Good. Now, who _followed_ this rule?" We all reached for our knives and- "Besides those." She interrupted, confusing us. "They'd work well enough for civilians, but what happens if, say, a Covenant attack were to suddenly happen while we were out doing this?"

Seeing the widened eyes beneath our transparent visors, she pulled out a- "Why do you have one of our guard's pistols?" Blake asked, already recovered enough to speak.

She shrugged. "I just told you." Blake gave her an incredulous look. "I'm gonna give it back." Her eyes darted to me. "Or should I say that _Ice Queen_ 's gonna give it back?" She said as she tossed the firearm to me.

I easily caught it. "Umm, why…?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"You need it the most." I opened my mouth to protest, but she cut me off with a wave of her hand. "Even if she _wasn't_ armed, Blake can talk her way out of any situation just by saying 'I'm a Belladonna', Yang can punch her way out of one, and I'm a Spartan." She hummed. "Plus, if anyone here figured out who you really are, you'd probably need it."

My eyes darted down to the antique-looking weapon in my hand before I shrugged and stowed it on my thigh. "Fair enough." I said. "Though that doesn't explain why you're using _people_ as the main threat when you just mentioned the _Covenant_."

She shrugged. "We _might_ have an invasion on our hands, but we will _definitely_ be dealing with people while we're here." She explained before handing me two extra dust vials. "Each one has enough dust for eight rounds, so, including the one in the chamber, that's twenty-four shots total."

I nodded. "Alright."

She turned to the rest of the team. "Stay close-ish to the main road, like Blake said. This is training, not an op, try not to start any trouble and if someone has a problem with you, disengage. Clear?"

We all gave our affirmations.

"Good." She grinned before donning her own helmet. "We're a few clicks away from the house, objective is to get back there before _I_ do. I'll take the low road so I don't accidentally cave anyone's house in with my MJOLNIR, but you guys should be fine by rooftop. I won't sprint there, so you'll have about ten minutes to reach the objective, though I'll warn you that there _is_ a price for failure. Everyone ready?" We all nodded, taking a runner's position. "Go!" She shouted, causing us to take off.

Blake took off immediately, scurrying to the rooftops with Yang hot on her heels; me following behind them. Even after an entire semester of training, I was still by far the slowest, and they quickly outpaced me.

No longer being able to follow the girl that grew up here, I instead looked for a vantage point of some kind, given that the Belladonna residence was very hard to miss in Kuo Kuana.

It didn't take long before my VISR allowed me to spot a dark, and luckily _unmanned,_ guard tower. I quickly scaled the somewhat rickety structure and, moments later, I found myself on the open roof.

The second I found myself inside the guard tower, my eyes trailed onto the sleeping form of a Rabbit Faunus outlined with the same orange-ish color that everything else was, one of his ears twitching every second or so. From the position he was in, sprawled out next to a chair, I can assume that he merely fell asleep during his shift and fell out of said chair.

Deciding to find the house quickly, I immediately turned my gaze to the streets. In the distance, the Belladonna home sat, shining brightly, with a dark-clad figure standing outside.

Curious, I reached up and pressed the 'magnify' button on my helmet. As the augmented-reality binoculars came into being, I saw that said figure was wearing the undersuit for an ODST BDU, albeit, missing an arm.

I blinked, not expecting my sister to be up so soon, before remembering the reason why _I_ was up so early. For a moment, in the rain, I thought I saw a plasma grenade sailing through the air and before I even realized it, I had hit the deck, both my pistol and knife drawn.

After a few moments, I poked my head above the half-rotten walls. Spotting nothing, I let out a shaky sigh of relief. "Must've just been my imagination…" I muttered…

…shortly before I heard the telltale **-click-** of a gun's hammer being cocked.

My head snapped to the side to be met with the barrel of a pistol not too dissimilar from the one in my hand, an amber-eyed Rabbit Faunus behind it. "Who the fuck are you and why are you up here?" He asked, tersely.

I hesitated for a moment. "It matters not who I am." I began. "I was just looking for my home. I'll be taking my leave, now." I said, slowly getting up with my hands raised, though the pistol didn't make me look as non-threatening as I'd liked.

" _No one_ trespasses on White Fang territory." He growled out, causing my stomach to drop. Fully upright, I began slowly backing away to the edge of the guard tower, unable to utter a word. "Take one more step and you're dead." He said, pistol aimed right between my hidden eyes.

I _froze_. I knew I'd be able to take out one White Fang Grunt easily, but my concern was that he'd get a shot off and alert the entire town, bringing an… _untoward_ amount of attention to my rather distinctive appearance.

He seemed to pause for a moment before giving a slight shrug. "Ya know what, they'd probably just execute you anyways." He grinned. "I'll just save my buddies a bit of time." He said as he squeezed the trigger.

Thanks to my huntress training, and no small amount of warning, I was able to dodge the bullet. My gun-toting hand instinctively aimed the weapon in response, but moments before I pulled the trigger, I realized what I was about to do, and shifted my aim to his weapon hand.

My nerves still fried from a combination of sleep deprivation and from _this_ situation, I was unable to fully shift my aim…

…and ended up grazing his neck…

I watched on in horror as he collapsed, blood spurting from the wound like some sort of twisted geyser. He desperately pressed his hands to the hole, but only succeeded in bloodying them. His eyes trailed up my form, eventually locking onto my visor with a desperate, _pleading,_ look.

After what felt like hours of just _standing there watching him_ _ **die**_ _,_ his eyes started to gloss over, a weak groan escaping his rapidly paling lips.

For a while, I wasn't even aware time was still passing. It was just me, the guard tower, and the… _corpse_ that I'd made…

I, Weiss Schnee, just… _killed_ a man.

I just killed a man.

I killed.

 **I killed.**

That single thought reverberated throughout my head as I watched blood empty from his wound, washed away by the rain.

"It came from over here!" I heard, snapping me out of my stupor with a gasp.

I whirled around to where the voices came from just in time to catch three mask-wearing Faunus round the corner of a nearby building.

I shot a glance to the dead body and murmured a near-silent apology before a flash of lightning – most likely coming from behind me – illuminated everything for a split-second. Still shaking, I only had one thought on my mind.

Run.

And so I did. I leaped from the tower, a bullet whizzing over my helmet, before sprinting into the narrow alleyways of Kuo Kuana.

Unlike the wide, open main street of the city, the alleyways were dark, cramped, and often full of garbage left by their inhabitants.

I ran through these streets, zigzagging behind whatever cover I could find, though the occasional gunshot pinging off a building behind me told me that my pursuers were still nipping at my heels.

Just as I'd rounded yet another corner, I was suddenly pulled into a shop by a pair of _extremely_ strong arms and thrown onto the floor.

Moments later, I felt a crushing weight collapse onto me, stunning me for a moment. I was still cognizant enough to recognize the feeling of someone grabbing my wrist and pressing several buttons, though.

My eyes widened and I looked down to see…

"… _Ruby_?" I let out, incredulously. For some reason, she didn't even respond. "Ugh, get off of me, you Oaf!" I shouted, trying my best to free myself.

She stayed put, still silent, and actually forcefully held me down before making a shushing motion. Moments later, a trail of splashing footsteps ran past the store, causing me to recover from my momentary memory lapse.

I laid there, motionless, for several minutes, Ruby having started supporting her own weight to avoid crushing me.

After a while, she sighed and got up, helping me do the same in the process. "I heard gunshots, what happened?" She asked.

"…I…" I said, voice dripping with sorrow. "I… _killed_ someone…" I said.

"Oh, one second." She said, quickly grabbing my wrist again and pressing several buttons. "Okay, you're un-muted."

I blinked. "You can _do_ that?"

She gave me a nod. "Yeah. Helps with getting wounded soldiers out of sticky situations." She said. "Okay, so…?" She trailed off, making an expectant motion.

My gaze fell to the floor. "I killed someone…" I muttered, almost inaudibly.

Evidently, it was loud enough for her to hear, as she responded with an– "…Oh…" She stood there for a few moments before shaking her head. "We can talk later. Right now, _you_ need to get the fuck out of here." Her helmet swiveled about, inspecting the clothing store we'd apparantely broke into, before she darted off, returning moments later with a red-lined white cloak. "They probably saw you, you'll need a disguise." She said.

"Umm… isn't that-"

"Its either take _this_ -" She held up the cloak for emphasis. "-or risk getting caught by _them_." She thrust a thumb outside the building.

After thinking it over for a minute, I swiped the cloak from her hands and threw it on, though I had trouble getting the hood around my helmet.

Seeing this, she sighed. "Take it off." She said, continuing before I could voice my concerns. "As long as you keep your head down, you should be fine. Clip it to your belt and lets get moving." She said.

I grumbled, fumbling with the offending piece for a few moments before it stuck to where I wanted it to, and drew my hood. The cloak itself came down to my knees and fully wrapped around my body. In all honesty, it felt like I was wearing a blanket, and I was sure that if I weren't wearing armor, I'd feel nice and cozy.

The thought of comfort was dashed as I was again reminded of my earlier actions. I shivered involuntarily before steeling myself. 'I need to get back.' I thought with a sniffle. ' _Then_ I can break down.' I looked to my partner, giving her a nod.

She returned the gesture. "You first, I'll follow from behind and keep those goons off your tail."

I gave another nod, pulling my hood up even tighter before setting out into the rain.

Between the rain, lack of proper lighting, and the overcast sky, the alleyway was almost completely black; barely enough light to see a few feet in front of me.

Through this, I walked on almost blind. Occasionally, I would see Ruby almost _magically_ appear in front of me and direct me down a certain path. Whether it was to keep me going in the correct direction, or to avoid the White Fang, I had no idea.

Frankly, I didn't care, though, as my mind was on my victim for the entire time. On several occasions, I bumped into something, be it a crate, wall, or sign, because of just how _distraught_ I was.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, I stood outside the Belladonna home. With a shaky sigh, I climbed the steps and opened the door.

Just inside, I saw my sister entering the room from the dining room.

At the sight of her, I immediately ran up and buried my face into the crook of her neck; held tears finally spilling free.

* * *

/-\ Jaune Arc /-\

Beacon Academy; Outside Ozpin's office

* * *

I exited Ozpin's office with a huff. "Two days and still _nothing_ …" I said as I started towards the cafeteria, where my team was waiting.

As I rounded a corner, passing through his receptionist's office, I spotted a man in a stark white officer's uniform speaking to said receptionist.

At a glance, I thought he was Atlesian, but the uniform itself was completely wrong. Add to that, the two black-armored soldiers that flanked him and it was fairly obvious that he was from the strange dreadnought.

I stared for a moment before one of his guards motioned me to move along. I meekly nodded and continued on my way.

As I exited, I caught a glimpse of a green airship surrounded by more black-armored soldiers on one of the landing pads. Paying it no attention, as I'd seen them at the crashed dreadnought, I continued onwards.

Finally arriving at the cafeteria, I strode up to my team, who gave me questioning looks.

"So… how'd it go?" Nora asked, a little apprehensive.

I sighed. "Still no news of Team RWBY…"

"They should be back by now." Ren observed. "Ozpin recalled all huntsmen-in-training after the refugees started pouring in."

"I'm… not done yet…" I said, shoulders slumping. "He also said that if they don't return in two weeks, he'll be forced to give up their room."

My entire team recoiled in shock. "Why would he do that?!" Nora shrieked.

"He said it was because it was cramped already down in the city." I said. "Apparently, Vale didn't have room for five-hundred-thousand refugees, but we took 'em anyways."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "There are still plenty of dorms open in the guest wing, why would he be considering giving away RWBY's dorm?"

"He said the rest of the Vacuoans and all the Mistralians're coming next week. Whatever dorms aren't filled will be opened up to the public."

"I'm sure they will be back before then, Jaune." My partner said, a reassuring smile on her face.

"I hope so, Pyr." I sighed. "Maybe going to Vale would help take our minds off it…"

"Well, I _am_ running low on rounds after our little… _excursion_ four days ago." She commented.

"Yeah!" Nora cheered. "I heard there's a new sloth exhibit at the zoo, too!"

I chuckled. "Always looking on the bright side, aren't cha, Nora?"

"You betcha!" She replied, a smile plastered on her face.

Ren shrugged. "It couldn't hurt." He said. "Though I will admit to leaving my wallet in the dorm."

I blinked before patting down my pockets. "Eheheh… I might've done that too…" I said, blushing slightly. "Alright, let's make a quick stop back there, then we'll go to town."

With that, we headed back up to the dorms, but a news broadcast stopped us as we passed the student lounge.

" **-imm attacks continue to escalate as more and more refugees, all bringing their negative emotions, continue to swarm into Vale." The VNN broadcaster said. "The latest victim is the village of Winshire, a settlement originally founded by Vern Winchester, a Valerian General during the Great War almost eighty years ago. The village survived, but over half of its inhabitants gave their lives so others may live."**

 **She paused for a minute, exchanging the papers on her desk for another set. "In semi-related news, the remnants of the Atlesian Armed Forces have applied for asylum in Vale. Experts say that they'll likely be granted their request provided they use their skills to defend our kingdom."**

" **In unrelated news, experts in theoretical physics have confirmed that, yes, hamburgers can see the fu-"**

I stopped paying attention as VNN did their joke news segment. This was legally required by the Valerian Council to follow any sort of bad news in an attempt to cheer up the populace.

"That's messed up." I finally said. "Sure, Blake said that Winshire was full of racists, but still…"

Ren shook his head. "No town deserves a Grimm attack…"

Nora, for once calming down, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, that's what we're here for, right?" She asked. "To stop _that_ from happening."

He sighed. "Yes, Nora." He said, though slightly more enthusiastically than normal. As we rounded a corner, our dorm came in sight. Said sight was accompanied by a short-ish ginger girl waiting patiently outside Team RWBY's dorm.

I looked to my partner, silently wondering what we should do. Instead of giving me advice, she motioned me forwards. With a silent sigh, I approached the girl.

"Uhh… hey there." I greeted.

She spun around so quickly I briefly wondered if she got whiplash. "Oh! I didn't notice you there!" She said with a wide smile. "Sal-u-tations! My name is Penny, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

I blinked. "Uhh, okay…" I said, momentarily thrown off by her cheeriness. "I'm Jaune."

Ren stepped forward and made a slight bow. "Lie Ren."

Nora, being _Nora_ , hopped onto her partner's shoulders, kicking her legs about. "Nora Valkyrie!"

My partner awkwardly coughed. "Pyrrha Nikos." She introduced, an awkwardly wide smile on her face.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Penny said, a wide grin on her face.

I inwardly raised an eyebrow at her repetition, but brushed it off in favor of another topic. "Soooo… Penny…" I started. "What're you doing outside Team RWBY's dorm?"

"Oh! I am patiently waiting for Friend-Weiss to answer the door!"

"Umm… Penny?"

"Yes, Acquaintance-Jaune?"

I rubbed the back of my head. "Team RWBY is missing."

She stood shock still for a moment before her smile dropped. "Oh…" She let out. "I'm sorry to bother you. Have a wonderful day." She said, beginning to walk away.

I sighed. "Hey, Penny…" I said.

"Yes, Acquaintance-Jaune?" She asked, this time in a more sour mood.

"We're going to Vale for a bit, wanna come with us?"

Nora, immediately picking up on my intentions of cheering her up, jumped forwards. "Yeah! We're gonna have lotsa fun! Come with us!"

She stood still for a moment before nodding. "Okay." She said. "My records show that I am currently free."

"Great!" Nora says. "We just gotta grab some things from our dorm, then we can go!"

Ren and I quickly ducked inside, grabbing our wallets, before coming back out to the scene of Nora and Penny practically bouncing off the walls, the former exclaiming how they were friends now.

I gave my partner a questioning look, to which she donned a deer-in-the-headlights expression, signifying that she had genuinely no idea what had happened.

A small smile crawled its way onto my face. 'Well, at least she's not sad anymore.' I thought to myself as we headed towards the Airdocks.

"So, Penny," I started as we walked through the courtyard. "I haven't seen you around here before, are you visiting for the festival?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm here to fight in the tournament as well!"

"Ah, okay." I studied her for a moment. "You look a bit too well-dressed to be from Vacuo, soooo… Mistral, then?"

She shook her head. "Atlas, actually."

The mood once again soured. "Oh…"

"There are…" Pyrrha began, unsure of her wording as she spoke. " _rumors_ that aliens caused the fall. Is that…?" She trailed off.

"I wouldn't know, I came to Vale earlier than most." She responded. "While we are in the city, do you mind if we stop by the local government office? I have had an extremely difficult time contacting my father for the last few days, and I would like to check for updates."

I nodded, solemnly. "Yeah, we can. I think we're passing right by it, anyways." I said, ignoring her slightly strange way of wording things.

My scroll suddenly chimed, causing me to blink in surprise. Opening it, I saw that it was an update from VNN. Normally, I would've ignored it, but the headline gave me pause.

"'SDC announces new heir'?" I said aloud, catching everyone's attention.

I quickly opened the offending news app, clicking on the featured video.

" **Good morning and/or evening citizens of Vale." The video said. "I'm your host, Lisa Lavender, and today I bring you an update from the Schnee Dust Company, which has since relocated to Mantle after the Sunset Invasion."**

 **The view switches from Lisa to the instantly recognizable Jacques Schnee. "-t is with a heavy heart that I must declare my daughter and designated heiress, Weiss Schnee, to be no longer among the living."**

We all gasped, the others having crowded around my scroll.

" **Her bravery, however, is not in question, as I'm sure we've all seen her inspiring speech during the invasion." He paused. "However, the Schnee Dust Company must always have an heir. Between Weiss's death and Winter's ineligibility, that leaves only one claimant." He paused once more. "Let me introduce to you Whitley Schnee, the new heir of the Schnee Dust Com-"**

I shut off my scroll before any more could be said or seen, unable to continue watching.

"Fr- Friend-Weiss is d- dead?" Penny said, voice disbelieving.

"Penny, we don't know-" I tried to reassure her as I turned around…

…but she was already gone. "Penny?" I asked, hesitantly as I looked around. Unfortunately, it would appear that she was _very_ good at disappearing, as she was nowhere in sight.

I turned to my team. "Guys, we need to find her." I said. "Ren and Nora, you go north. Pyrrha and I'll go south."

They all nodded in affirmation as we set off.

* * *

(A/N) Welp, that could've gone better for just about everyone.

Penny needs a hug; Weiss needs a hug; maybe they should hug each other and act like friends? Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

Don't really have much else to say, so… Reviews! And holy Jesus, there's a _lot_ of them!

 **Artyom-Dreizehn said – "Remnant can be considered an Outer Colony World, though with an Overpopulated in density(in their Cities) numbering in estimated 50 million(Remnant is a Death World but a mild one for WH40k classification) now with one of the Major Cities down and population cut down in millions by the Glassing, I hope the Survivors had the luck of time to rally others as this is just a Scouting group with reinforcements likely coming as the Covies really loath to have their ships being down in a Human world and will take it back with zeal."**

Somewhat quoting Arnie "They'll be back."

 **Guest 001 said – "Hope they get in touch with the UNSC forces soon! Want to see Ironwood's and Ozpin's reactions when they learn that the "dreadnought" is actually a Frigate!"**

Ikr? Don't worry, the UNSC will indeed be contacting them soon. They've just got some of their own shit to sort out first.

 **Guest 002 said – "Okay when you say 12, do you mean that's when they started their training, or do you mean they were already trained? If that's when they started their training, then Winter has no business being outraged by that, because when you think about it, on remnant, people start training at the age of 12 or 13 in a Prep Academy, and they do this for four years, then they go to one of the four main combat academies, in not sure if they train before that but 12 or 13 sounds about right."**

12 is the canonical age that many Beta Company Spartans partook in Operation: TORPEDO. And I agree that somewhere around that age would be when the typical Huntsman/Huntress-to-be would _start_ their training. Ruby started her Spartan training at age 5.

 **Helljumper206 said – "Yay! Update! Wonder what's in store if the White Fang attack Team RWBY while they're in town?"**

Yay indeed.

 **Survivorsp said – "Thank you for the update. I'm happy to see it's time for the next season. Looking forward to the interaction with Blake's family."**

Kinda skimped on the family thing this chapter, that'll be on the next one when {redacted} Menagerie.

 **Dovah117 said – "So they are in Menagerie? Cool we can see Kali embarassing poor Blake! Shit is going down! Where will be the next Covenant attack? Vale? When will the UNSC will talk to Remnant? Will more Spartan are going to appear?"**

*Spoilers intensifies*

 **Mid Level Fighter said – "Ggggaaahhh... It took so long, but it was worth the wait. Dude, you can not believe how many times I checked to see if you updated this. I even started writing (totally unrelated) stories of my own to pass the time. Main story is definitely still chugging along strong and healthy. Good place to stop, dramatic ending just like the Vol. 4 episode. Solar flare? Well that ruins easy reunions... But Schnees in Kuo Kuana, going to be fun for my sadistic self to read that. And UNSC not contacting Oz sets up some nice ideas in my head, with our loveable Spartan being the necessary bridge. So many possibilities in my head, and I dont know what way you plan to go. Im looking for that shot to the feels around the corner."**

Our lovable Spartan still has a ways to go before she gets back to Vale, and the UNSC is still trying to get its shit back together between having a downed destroyer and evacuating civvies to Vale.

 **Arsonist said – "Yesssssssssss I've been waiting for this**

 **This is feeding my hype for Reach on Pc, and Reach on PC is feeding my hype for this like some kind of recursive loop"**

Let the hype flow through you.

 **TheFishKing said – "Blakes mom needs to fuss over the girls, all have mommy issues and she needs to help fix them. Are you going to have June come back? an Omake RWBY reacts would be funny and it could just be a few shorts to key moments"**

Family time will probably be next chapter, god knows Weiss needs a mother-figure right now. I'm assuming you mean Jun A-266, and not at this moment, no. I'm playing around with a few ideas, one being something called X-ALT, though I'm not gonna reveal the full title.

 **Guest 003 said – "Will Ruby make her signature Sniper Scythe soon!? What did Ironwood do with the Wand of Creation!?"**

Creation is currently snuggling up to the unconscious body of Amber. I have plans involving Ruby and a scythe, but I don't think this Ruby would make something like Crescent Rose; too mechanically complex and prone to failure (even if the show doesn't show it, though that's probably because canon Ruby obsesses over it).

 **Kragh50 said – "Thanks for the chapter"**

Np, thanks for reading!

 **Raw666 said – "I am curious why the UNSC is not contacting the various world governments as soon as they made contact? They would need to set up an alliance of sorts. Though I guess it's possible they are waiting to see how many survivors they have, consulate strength, and looking to decide their course of action. Especially a world that never was under UNSC control."**

Pretty much. Plus, they're trying to figure out where the hell they ended up in the galaxy, as, per Cole Protocol, they made a random jump.

 **Shadow Walker of Fire said – "Great chapter. Is Ruby-B312 and A Summer's Harvest both part of the same universe?"**

There is some level of confusion on this matter, so I'll just clarify that no, they don't. The Haloverse and RWBYverse are the same galaxy in two mirror universes. Obviously, crossover is possible though, seeing as Ruby is a Spartan and ASH… _exists._

ASH's Summer is Spartan Ruby's mother, though. Not some other Ruby.

 **Red October 700 said – "Good chapter dude and good reasoning for most of the things. Ghira and Kile are going to be in for the shock of their lives. Conspiracy materal maybe, but true nonetheless. I cant wait to see where you go from here. Oh and derp face is still derp face. Can Ruby just off him yet? Or are you saving that treat for a later date? You seem to have made a charter that people mostly dislike if not out right hate, want to see burn. So I got nothing else. Check 6 man and I will see you next time."**

Thanks! And not quite yet with Jacques. His time will come, don't worry, but he still has a bit of living to do. Though I do agree that I may have made him into a bit too much of the classic moustache-twirling villain.

 **CreeperslayerL421 said – "Excellent work on this, mate! You've done a fantastic job with this whole saga. Ruby B-312, B-312 Fall of Reach, ASH, it's all so amazing.**

 **Which leads into a proposal I have: A mass crossover event between RWBY, Halo, Red Vs. Blue, Star Trek, and Doctor Who. The title: The Silver Files, Book One: Remnant in Ruins, part one of a planned series of fics revolving an OC named Sylvar Radcliffe. Details are in the file at {redacted}"**

Thanks! But I'm afraid I will turn down your proposal, as, even discounting the fact that I'm booked solid between ASH and the main fic, I don't actually watch ST nor DW (at least, not for several years), and thus, have no interest in writing about those IPs.

Though, you're obviously welcome to try your hand at writing said fic. If you choose to do so, let me know and I'll check it out. Best of luck!

 **Osterreicher97 said – "Hmmm... I wonder how things will go this time around considering that Blake only came with Sun in canon. Then again, this is much sooner than canon considering that this all happened before the Vytal Festival could even start (on top of it being Vale that was overrun by Grimm in canon). Also, I could totally see Jacques Schnee buying out Mantle. I would assume though that without the Atlesian military, they will be down to whatever security forces that they might have left (which will probably be even less effective than the Atlesians)."**

No comment on the Mantle situation, but another radically different thing from canon is that Blake doesn't know the true extent of the WF's fall just yet, considering that they didn't just release hundreds of Grimm into the school or blow open the Mountain Glenn tunnels.

 **Seraphimnight said – "Sorry it took me so long, i got backlogged on fics for a few weeks.**

 **I'm so happy you're updating again!"**

Np, and its good to be back!

* * *

That does it for this chapter. I'm having a bit of trouble coming up with the next one's name, but right now, it's tentatively called "Necessity". That might hold, or it might not. Either way, see you then!


	19. Necessity

(A/N) First off, I just want to thank everyone for being not only extremely understanding of the delay, but also encouraging. You guys are great, and, honestly, knowing how kind you guys are makes me want to write even more.

Things are a bit smoother now, so hopefully I can return to my normal upload schedule. Though they aren't smooth enough to where I can run two stories simultaneously, so I'll be alternating the uploads between this and ASH.

One last thing, I now have a beta reader! Thanks to shadowstorm17 for putting up with my incompetence!

With that out of the way, on with the chapter!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Three – Necessity

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

Belladonna Residence

* * *

I sat in the Belladonna's armory idly raking my knife against one of their whetstones, the rain still pitter-pattering against the roof.

I had originally planned for any slow people to join me in this somewhat tedious exercise, though I'd have them maintain the Belladonna's weaponry. I'd obviously abandoned that idea when Weiss, being the only slow one, told me what happened.

She was absolutely _devastated_ by what she'd done, even if the dead man was a terrorist. I sighed, remembering my own first kill.

His death, and the three others that were necessary to complete the mission, weighed on me fairly heavily, but Lisette was there, and I eventually worked through it.

I nodded to no one in particular. My partner just needed time; time and her sister. She is strong, she'll pull through. I'd check up on her later; she _is_ my partner, after all.

Just as that thought left my mind, I heard a light knock come from behind me. Quirking an eyebrow, I turned to the door. "Come in."

It slowly opened, revealing our resident Atlesian Specialist clad in one of Blake's yukatas. She closed the door behind her and hesitantly entered.

"Didn't expect you to swing by." I commented, eliciting a sad sigh from her. "What's wrong?"

"Its Weiss…" She said. "She's been almost catatonic ever since she got back."

I nodded. "Yeah, sounds about right."

"What happened?" She asked, eliciting a raised eyebrow from me. "The only reaction I can get out of her are tears. She hasn't even managed to get a word out yet."

I sighed. "Winter," I addressed in a serious tone. "have you killed anyone yet?"

She blinked. "What? Why would you even ask tha-" Her words died on her lips when she finally put the pieces together. "Oh my gods…" She let out, a look of pure horror on her face. "That's what happened, isn't it?"

I nodded. "Yeah, now answer the question."

"…No." She said.

I raised an eyebrow. "'No, I won't answer' or 'No, I haven't killed anyone'?"

"The latter." She clarified. I sighed, leaving my knife sheathed on the table before betting up. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"She's been in that funk for almost six hours now, and believe me, the _last_ thing she needs right now is to be alone." I said, deciding to move up my visit as I entered the hallway.

"Alright." She said, sorrow in her voice. We rounded a corner and started up the stairs. "I suppose you had to have a first kill then." She noted, half-questioning and half-icy.

I shrugged. "You always remember your first." I said shortly before we reached their door. I reached for the doorknob, but paused for a moment, realizing that she may want to see her sister first.

I stood aside, looking at Winter before jerking my head towards the door.

She nodded, reaching to knock but pulling back, instead opting to slowly turn the handle. My enhanced hearing picked up a faint sob coming from inside, though Winter was obstructing my view.

"Hello, Weiss." She said, slowly striding into the room.

My partner glanced up at her sister, revealing her tear-stricken face. They locked eyes for a moment before hers trailed back down onto the bed.

Winter slowly strode inside before sitting on the bed opposite her. I raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to join Weiss on her bed, drawing only a confused look from the Elder Schnee.

I rolled my eyes and plopped down next to my partner. As I expected, she immediately latched onto me and started sobbing into the crook of my neck.

I held her, giving my partner some much-needed comfort, before motioning for Winter, again, to join us on the bed.

She seemed apprehensive, but finally understood where I was going with this.

A few moments after she sat down, she hesitantly raised her hand towards Weiss's back, a tilt of her head and a worried look gave me the impression that she was asking permission.

I nodded, and she began to slowly rub circles into her sister's back.

I felt my partner's grip slightly slacken, and her pained sobs subside. Her occasional movement signified she was still awake, but she was far more subdued than she'd been when I first sat down.

A few minutes later, I heard a knock on the door. I slowly turned my head as to not disturb my partner and got my eyes on the door just before it opened.

On the other side stood Blake and Yang, the former holding a several plates with silverware and the latter carrying a large platter laden with food.

"…Weiss?" Blake asked as she opened the door, not registering our presence yet. As the two entered the room, the black and yellow duo gave us both appreciative nods.

"Uhh… Kali said you haven't left your room since you got back, so we uhh… we figured we could all eat together." Yang said.

Her head lifted up for a moment, just long enough to say- "…not hungry…" -in a very quiet tone before settling back down.

They both gave me a worried look, and I motioned for them to set their stuff down on a nearby desk.

I gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Weiss…" I addressed in a soft tone. "I know you don't want to, but talking about it really does help." I said. "I know from experience."

She stayed silent for several moments and, just as I was about to prompt her again, she spoke up, albeit, quietly. "…I'm a monster…"

I resisted my usual, harsh, methods of voicing my disagreement, and instead, idly played with her hair. "How?" I asked.

"I _killed_ someone." She spat out.

I tisked. "The world isn't black and white, Weiss." I said. "Can you tell us what happened?" I asked, my tone still soft.

She hesitated. "…I just needed a vantage point…" She said. "I… I couldn't see w- where I was going. Found a guard tower," Blake's eyes widened. "he was sleeping on top. He woke up, p- pointed a gun at me, and I shot him." She said, her voice quivering near the end. "I- I tried to reason with him, aimed for his hand." She paused to collect herself. "Hit his neck." She said, shivering. "Th- There was just… so much _blood_."

I held her tight, a sad smile on my face, as she began to sob once more. "That's it." I said. "Just let it out."

Winter looked at us with apprehension for a moment, her eyes longing. I motioned her over, and she hesitantly joined the embrace. Moments later, Yang joined; her partner not far behind.

Our group hug session didn't feel like it'd lasted very long, but a cursory glance to the now-unattended food revealed that it was visibly cold, signifying just how long we'd been at it.

Despite this action being to comfort my partner, I felt… at ease; as if I'd been carrying the burden of the world upon my shoulders and the weight had been lifted.

Weiss still clung to me, occasionally quivering, but I could tell that this was helping her. A genuine smile crawled its way onto my face as I realized that fact.

… _prrrrrr_ …

I blinked, feeling the rumbling in my chest, as everyone backed off.

"Did you just… _purr_?" Blake asked, confusedly.

"Huh." I let out. "Guess I _did_ get something from mom after all."

They all sat completely still, completely unsure of how to respond.

Suddenly, Weiss lets out a couple near-silent chuckles. She tries to restrain herself, but eventually, she erupts into full-blown laughter, taking us with her.

They were still tinged with sadness, but I'd take anything I could get at this point. And I was happy to see my teamma- no, my _friend_ laughing again.

* * *

/-\ Emanuel Witherson /-\

Uncharted planet – Beacon Academy

* * *

"The kid's staring…" I heard one of my ODSTs say over comms as I finished up with the receptionist.

Moments later, I heard a faint yelp and, out of the corner of my eye, saw a blonde kid exited the room. I payed him no mention and thanked the young woman for granting me an audience with this… 'Ozpin'.

As we neared the elevator, I told my men to stay behind. No sense in potentially antagonizing a powerful leader during what was _technically_ a first contact scenario, even if he _is_ Human. Somehow.

I began my ascent and idly began to wonder what this man was like. The two men that had shown up after the kids left told us this man was very powerful on this world's stage but left us with very little else.

A moment later, I arrived, bringing me out of my ruminations. Stepping out, I briefly glanced at my surroundings. 'Man, this guy has a thing for gears…' I thought as I walked across the spacious room.

On the far side of the room, a green-suited man stood behind his desk, a sharply-dressed bespectacled woman at his side.

I stopped a few meters in front of them. "Professor Ozpin, I presume?"

The man nodded. "Indeed I am." He said. "Beside me is my deputy headmistress, Professor Goodwitch."

She tapped a few buttons on the datapad she held, her gaze not leaving me. "Greetings." She said, an air of professionalism in her voice. "I believe you have us at a disadvantage, mister…?" She trailed off.

"Commander Witherson, CO of the UNSC _Odinsdottir_ and acting-commander of all UNSC forces in this sector."

Ozpin gave a slight smile. "It is a pleasure to meet the man who intervened when the Covenant attacked. Had it not been for your dreadnought, I have no doubt that very few people would have made it out of Atlas."

"We were merely doing our duty; they were slaughtering civilians, as usual, and we acted." I responded. "But my ship cannot be called something as grandiose as a _dreadnought_ , I'm afraid. The _Odinsdottir_ is merely a Charon-class light frigate."

Professor Goodwitch was completely and utterly unable to hide her shock. "You call something dozens of meters larger than anything we've built a _light frigate_?!"

I nodded. "It would seem so." Just then, my commlink started buzzing in my ear. I raised an eyebrow. "It would seem there is someone at the door; claims to be a 'General Ironwood'."

"Send him up." Ozpin said. "He is an associate of mine, and it would be beneficial if he were present."

I relayed his command to my troops, and, moments later, the elevator dinged and disgorged an absolute _bear_ of a man. My eyes widened when I saw just how _massive_ he was. His figure was so imposing, I briefly wondered if he was an ex-Spartan.

His cold, calculating gaze certainly lent credence to that theory, but his uniform said otherwise. It wasn't simply because said uniform was of a different nationality, but instead, all its decorations showed just how _extensive_ his military service would have been.

He strode forward, hands clasped behind his back, and stopped a few feet shy of me. "James Ironwood, General of the Atlesian Armed Forces." He introduced, offering a handshake.

I accepted his gesture. "Emanuel Witherson, acting Commander of all UNSC forces on and around this world." As my gloved hand met his, I felt a stiffness that only a prosthetic could produce. I gave him a respectful nod and rolled up my sleeve, exposing the titanium appendage that had replaced my old one.

He gave it a cursory glance before exposing his own for a moment; mutual respect preventing any further discussion of our 'souvenirs' as we let our respective sleeves back down.

We turned back to the other two in the room just in time for Ozpin to speak up. "It seems we won't have any trouble with you two getting along." He cheekily commented.

"We share a common enemy." Ironwood said. "One greater than Remnant has ever faced."

I nodded. "Agreed. The Covenant are already responsible for tens of billions of deaths, no need to add to that pile ourselves."

All three had their expressions completely wiped off their faces, all replaced with complete and utter _shock_ at the figure I'd given.

After a few moments of them staring off into space, I cleared my throat, bringing them back to the real world. "As a representative of the United Nations Space Command," I began, trying to distract them from the extreme shock I'd accidentally given them. ", I would first like to know why you ignored all attempts at communication with us."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "I was not aware such an attempt had been made, though I am very much curious as to why you ignored _ours_ as well."

"All channels were completely clear; be it laser-based or radio waves." I said. "Despite the inclement solar weather, the lasers were unaffected."

"Laser communication?" Ironwood said. "No one on Remnant uses such technology."

"Well, that explains my question." I said. "For your information, all UNSC vessels are outfitted with lasers in the ultraviolet-range for secure communication within the fleet. The specific frequency is classified, however."

"Understandable." He said. "For now, I must ask what your intentions are on Remnant. Why are you here, Commander Witherson?"

I hummed. "Honestly, we were just running." I said, earning a raised eyebrow. "In UNSC space, we have various protocols to prevent us accidentally leading the Covenant to one of our worlds, one of which, is that we must make a random slipspace jump." I shrugged. "It was a complete coincidence that said random jump led here."

The general's face morphed into one of anger. "So you're telling me that millions of people; my entire _nation_ died because _someone_ got unlucky on a-"

I sighed. "Listen, I know how it is." I said, cutting off his protests. "I have seen entire _worlds_ burned and turned to glass at their hands. My own home was lost just last year, along with my _entire_ family and twenty _million_ souls." They were silenced. "This is not a war for glory, or political gains. No, this is a war for _survival._ And Mankind is _losing_ ; we have been for almost _thirty_ yearsnow."

I paused to let that fact sink in. "We'll be staying at least until we salvage anything of worth, and have everyone accounted for. If you don't want us here, then so be it. We'll leave." My eyes narrowed. "But the Covenant _know_ where you're at now, and mark my words, they'll be back. And in greater numbers."

I clasped my hands behind my back. "You'll need every ship you can get, and even though we're just a light frigate, we'll put up one hell of a fight if you'd have us."

Ozpin narrowed his eyes. "You make some good points, Commander, but I couldn't help but notice you seem to be pushing for us to accept your assistance." He observed. "Surely you could go back to your comrades in the UNSC."

"Under normal circumstances, yes." I admitted. "But our jump spat us out where it shouldn't've. We're lost." I paused. "Yesterday, I held a vote on what to do in our situation. We voted to stay if we were welcome."

He hummed in thought. "Consider us interested." He said. "But it, unfortunately, is not up to me. Along with the good General, here, you shall need to submit your case to the Vale council; considering your ship crashed in Valerian territory. I can have Professor Goodwitch assist you in this matter, as I highly doubt you are familiar with our legal process."

I nodded. "That would be much appreciated, Mister Ozpin."

"It is my pleasure." He said. "But there is one thing that you may help me with."

I raised an eyebrow. "Very well, if I can be of assistance, then I will."

"Thank you." He said, a diplomatic smile on his face. "We are still searching for one of our teams reported engaged in combat during the invasion." He motioned to his assistant, who began fiddling with her datapad.

"And one insubordinate Specialist…" Ironwood mumbled.

"All five were last seen boarding your ship, Commander." He said as Professor Goodwitch handed me her device. On it were five very familiar faces.

"I recognize four of them." I said, gesturing to everyone save for the silver-eyed girl. "They, along with Spartan-B312 engaged in a boarding action against the Covenant carrier in orbit. While the operation was successful, we haven't managed to reestablish contact after they went dark before boarding." I paused. "We've got search and rescue birds combing the planetside debris, but there's a lot of ground to cover, and we can only spare two Pelicans."

"…I see…" He said. "Thank you for this information, is there anything else I can do for you?"

I shook my head. "This meeting was mainly to establish first contact." I said. "I have things to attend to back on my ship, if you'll excuse me."

He nodded. "Of course." He said. "We will discuss the communications issue at a later date. For now, we shall adjourn."

I gave a respectful nod and headed towards the elevator, mission accomplished…

…somewhat…

* * *

/-\ Penny Polendina /-\

Vale CCT – Administrator's office

* * *

Its been hours since I'd run from Team JNPR.

Hours since I'd plugged myself into the CCT's mainframe.

Hours for an Android such as myself were akin to entire days for living beings.

Only now did I find what I was looking for after searching for so long.

There was so frighteningly little that was recoverable from the ruins of the Atlas CCT; for hours before it went offline, the connection was spotty at best.

A megabyte here, a megabyte there, but no context on where they went.

I'd guessed on what data was relevant to what; throwing random bits together that looked close.

Now, after hours of work, I finally had 3.54 seconds of video, 85 whole frames.

I played the clip again for the one-hundred-twenty-first time, still disbelieving of its contents.

 **My father bolted around his laboratory, frantically typing at multiple computers as the lights flickered and the ground shook.**

 **At the 1.23 second mark, he pulled a hard drive from one of his machines and frantically stashed it into a secret compartment behind a bookcase.**

 **He then looked up to the camera and said - "I love you, Penny." – before a roar emanated from offscreen.**

 **He drew a pistol and fired off a few rounds before blue bolts impacted his chest.**

 **At the 3 second mark, he slumped over, fourth-degree burns covering his entire torso, and exhaled his last breath.**

 **For the remainder of the video, he remained unmoving on the ground.**

My hands began to shake as the reality finally set in.

'Father-Geppetto is dead.' I realized. 'Friend-Weiss is dead. Friend-Ruby status unknown.'

Those lines took up clock cycle after clock cycle as I desperately tried to figure out what to do with this information. If I could cry, I have no doubt I would be flooding the room with my tears.

I sat there for minutes, trying to make sense of _anything_ in this situation.

Eventually, I reached a conclusion and finally unplugged myself from the mainframe.

I stood and marched out of the CCT.

3e 4e 65 77 20 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 69 76 65 3a 20 52 65 63 6f 76 65 72 20 46 61 74 68 65 72 2d 47 65 70 70 65 74 74 6f 27 73 20 42 6f 64 79 2e

3e 4e 65 77 20 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 69 76 65 3a 20 53 65 61 72 63 68 20 4b 69 6e 67 64 6f 6d 2d 41 74 6c 61 73 20 66 6f 72 20 54 65 61 6d 20 52 57 42 59 2e

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna /-\

Belladonna Residence

* * *

"Yang?" I asked as we sat in the garden, the afternoon sun blazing above us. "Can I ask you something?"

She looked up from the plant she'd been examining. "Uhh, sure. What's up?"

My ears flattened against my head in shame. "If you… If you looked up to someone who'd been there your entire life, and then suddenly betrayed them… How would you fix it?"

She blinked. "I… I uhh, have no idea." She said. "I guess 'sorry' would be a good place to start, but uhh, I dunno if that would be enough." Her eyes flickered red for a moment. "I know it won't be when I finally find _her_ …" She muttered under her breath.

Knowing she likely didn't want me to hear that, I chose to ignore it. "What if they then helped you, _years_ later, when you really needed it?"

She hummed. "Well, uhh… I think that means they forgive you."

"Maybe, but what if they found out about all the people you hurt while you were away? What if they find out that you betrayed your new friends, too? What if-"

"Stop." She said. "I uhh… I might not be very experienced with… _people_ , but even _I_ know you're overthinking this." She paused. "This is about your parents, isn't it?" I meekly nodded. "Blake, I've seen the way they look at you, how happy they are to have you home." She sighed. "Ever since my mom and Ruby disappeared, I wanted nothing more than to just… _talk_ to them again. Now that the Covenant know about Remnant, your parents… well…" She trailed off, causing my eyes to widen. "Just… Don't have any regrets, okay?"

I shakily nodded. "Yeah…" I paused. "I… I think I need to go."

She gave an understanding nod and went back to examining various plants. Meanwhile, I began to slowly meander towards my father's study, my anxiety growing with each passing step.

After what felt like hours, I finally stood outside my father's study; my enhanced hearing picking up the sounds of him conversing with my mother.

I hesitated before finally knocking on the door. Moments later, my mother opened the door. "Blake? What are you doing up here?"

"I uhh… I wanted to talk to you guys for a bit."

She blinked. "Oh, well, come in then." She said, standing aside.

I shuffled inside and sat down on one of the chairs. I didn't speak for several moments, gathering courage. "…You were right…" I said, a solitary tear rolling down my face. At their confused expressions, I elaborated. "I should've left the White Fang with you two."

"Sweetie, its al-"

"No its not!" I shot up. "I yelled at you, I called you cowards, I even _spat_ in your faces!" I shouted. "And for what?! Five years of running around with _Adam_! Five years of watching the man I loved turn into a _monster_ no better than a Grimm! Five years of watching my _friends_ go from peaceful protesters, to kidnappers, to full-blown _murderers_! Five years of watching the White Fang extort Human villages so badly they couldn't even defend themselves from the Grimm! Five years of just standing by and _watching. Everything. Burn!_ "

By the time I'd finished my rant, my speech had degraded so badly I was practically choking on my own sobs. For minutes on end, I just _cried_.

When I finally started to calm down, I noticed that I was constricted somehow. But it didn't feel like someone was restraining me, instead it felt… _warm_.

… _prrrrrr…_

… _prrrrrr…_

As I registered their purr, I realized my parents had enveloped me in a hug. When this happened, I had no idea, but I certainly wasn't complaining. Instead, I melted into their embrace for who knows how long.

Eventually, I felt myself start to drift off, my eyelids becoming heavy. I tried to resist it at first, but eventually, I just let it happen.

… _prrrrrr…_

* * *

/-\ Sienna Khan /-\

White Fang Headquarters

* * *

I sighed before pushing open the door in front of me, entering the meeting room for my inner circle. Upon my entrance, all conversations ceased and the six people in the room stood, bowing their heads.

I took my position at the head of the table. "Sit." I ordered, causing them all to obey immediately. I scanned the faces of my councilmembers, briefly reviewing the position of each.

Adam Taurus; Leader of the Vale branch, Bull Faunus.

Corsac and Fennec Albain; Co-leaders of the Menagerie branch, both Fox Faunus.

Gorm Robertson; Leader of the Vacuo branch, Lion Faunus.

Niles Gyllene; Leader of the Mistral branch, Snake Faunus.

I had to stop myself from physically recoiling in shock as my eyes glanced over the final member. I knew the Penguin Faunus beneath that mask, and I knew her well, but no one could ever know.

I couldn't put her life in danger like that; not again.

Burying my urge to run up and hug my adoptive sister, I instead gave her a questioning look. "And who might you be?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "I sent for the leader of the Atlesian branch, not one of his lieutenants."

"He is dead, High Leader." She responded. "I am Valkea, and I'm one of the last survivors of the Atlesian branch."

"So it _was_ just as bad as the reports said…" I muttered. "How many of our brothers and sisters survived?"

"Out of twenty thousand men based in Atlas proper, less than two hundred, High Leader."

"…I see…" I said. "Is sister Amitola among them?"

She nodded. "Yes, High Leader."

Adam perked up. "I have a suggestion, High Leader."

I raised an eyebrow. "Speak."

"The creature's attack has left Humanity's spirit broken, and the largest threat to Faunuskind extinguished." He slammed a fist onto the table. "We need to strike while they're vulnerable! Bring them to their knees and prove once and for all that the _Faunus_ are the dominant species on Remnant."

"A sound plan, Brother Adam." Corsac said, causing Fennec to nod.

"In case you've forgotten, they aren't the only enemy anymore." Gorm said.

Valkea nodded. "Agreed. The creatures didn't care whether you were Faunus or Human during their attack. If you weren't with them, you were fair game."

Niles remained silent, a conflicted look on his face.

"Adam." I addressed. "While your proposal is certainly tempting, we are in no position to outright assault the Human Kingdoms, much less win a _war_ with them." I said. "From the Human perspective, if the White Fang attacked every remaining kingdom, we would be no better than those creatures that destroyed Atlas. We need their focus to be elsewhere while we work from the shadows and consolidate strength." I hummed. "'The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb'…"

"…High Leader?" He questioned.

"It is an old Vacuoan proverb." I explained. "I was one of the first advocates for using violence where it was necessary; not letting _them_ push us down without pushing back. The White Fang stands as the guardians of our people now, but we've never had the numbers to turn it into a blunt instrument. I agree that the creature's invasion has given us an opportunity, but disagree on _what_ that opportunity is." I paused. " _When_ they return and engage the Humans, we will strike at their vulnerable flanks, turn the tide of every battle, then disappear as if we were never there."

"You intend to _ally_ with our oppressors?!" He shouted, shooting up from his seat.

" _No_." I sternly replied. "I intend to show them what the Faunus are capable of, and teach them to give us the _respect_ we deserve."

"With respect, High Leader," Corsac began. "the warriors of the Faunus War earned that respect long ago."

"Agreed, brother." Fennec echoed. "If the Humans did not learn the first time, why would they _this_ time?"

"Because we will _appear_ to be aiding them, as opposed to being the victors of a war that was never supposed to happen."

"The Humans have _never_ kept their word, Sienna!" He shouted. "After the Great War, we were promised an end to slavery, after the Faunus War, we were promised equality! Where are we now?! _Dozens_ die in the Schnee mines every _day_!"

"And they will be _avenged_!" I shouted. "When we have achieved our goals, we will put the _Schnees_ through _every_ bit of misery we ourselves have experienced." I said. "But thatis _after_ we have achieved our goal. And _I_ will get us there." I paused. "However, you're right to mistrust the Humans; we need a contingency plan."

"My men stand ready to fight the Humans on every front." Niles said, finally speaking up.

"As do mine, High Leader." Adam agreed.

I raised an eyebrow. "Last I heard, the Vale branch was being decimated by Human huntsmen." He made to protest, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand. " _That_ is their primary threat." I said. "We need to counter their huntsmen." I glanced at Valkea. "How old are you, girl?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Just a month shy of eighteen, High Leader."

I smirked. "Perfect." I said. "You will infiltrate Beacon Academy and become a huntress. Take your next best man with you."

"Your will be done, High Leader." She said, nodding.

"Is _she_ the best candidate for this mission, High Leader?" Corsac asked.

"Yes, surely Sister Amitola would be a better choice." Fennec said.

I shook my head. "I have something else in mind for her." I said. "Besides, the late leader of the Atlesian branch filed multiple reports on her skill with a sniper rifle." I half-lied, instead having personally overseen her training. "She is perfectly capable of this task."

"With respect, High Leader, Sister Amitola was who I had in mind for my partner." She said. "What is her mission?"

"We have yet to reestablish contact with the Mantle branch, correct?" I asked, causing her to nod. "Then she shall continue her mission from before the creatures invaded; contacting the Mantle branch."

"Understood, High Leader."

I turned to the rest of the circle. "You are dismissed. I shall brief Sister Valkea personally."

They nodded and left, Adam giving me a slight glare as he exited.

The moment the door shut, I practically tackled her in an embrace. "I was so worried…" I said, the mask finally slipping.

She clutched me as if her life depended on it. "I almost _didn't_ make it, Sienna…" She sobbed. "If… If Ilia hadn't been there…" She trailed off.

I stroked the back of her head. "Shh…" I said. "Its okay, you're safe now."

She muffled her cries into my shoulder, her mask creating an awkward feeling as it dug into my skin. After several minutes, she calmed down and removed her mask.

I internally winced when I saw her malformed jaw, just as I'd always done after the incident. Her eyes shone like mirrors, but held an immense amount of uncertainty within them.

"You'd best be going soon." I said. "Write down the person you'd like to have with you, I'll have them meet you there." I handed her a notebook. "A ship will be anchoring at Lán Guānkou in a few days, it's the quickest one to Vale after the Mistralian council grounded all extra-kingdom flights. Once you're in Vale, make your way to Beacon and pose as a survivor of Atlas. They won't have their paperwork in order yet, and you'll slip right through."

She nodded, donning her mask once more. "…I'll miss you."

"And so will I." I said before she handed me her note and headed out the door.

I sighed, hoping I didn't just send my sister to her death.

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\

Approaching Lán Guānkou

* * *

We'd been at sea for almost a week now. Day in and day out, I'd sat on the deck of the ship watching the calm ocean waves flow in response to various unseen forces. It was… _calming_ , I guess would be the correct descriptor.

My cloak fluttered in the slight breeze, a slight chill nipping at my face. It was nothing compared to the dead of winter back home, but it still gave me a slight shiver.

So much had happened over the previous few days. To think, when I left Beacon, my greatest concern was avoiding a lecture from _father_ on my armor.

"You know, _I'm_ supposed to be the brooding one…" I heard a familiar voice deadpan.

I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn't see my action. "Oh, har-de-har, Blake."

With cat-like grace, she found her seat next to me on the deck. "Does that mean you're finally ready to talk to us again?"

I sighed, looking down at my Myrtenaster, which lay, unsheathed, on my lap. "I… suppose I've been avoiding you long enough."

She gave an affirmative hum.

"I'm guessing you want to know what I've been thinking about this entire time?" She emitted another hum. "Well… its just… _everything._ " I sighed. "Atlas; the Covenant; that… that man…"

She placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "I'm not going to say that it'll just get better, but you can get through this. I know you can." She said.

I rolled my eyes. "Since when did _you_ get so knowledgeable about this stuff?"

"Some of the men in the White Fang used to get like that." She sighed. "A lot of them just… closed themselves off after their first. I don't want you to be like that, okay? We're here for you."

I gave a small, but genuine smile. Just as I was about to speak up, Ruby rounded the corner. "Hey guys!" She started. "The storm's over!"

I blinked. "Wait, so does that mean you can call for help finally?"

She nodded just as the ship was pulling into port. "Yeah, just got off the line with Witherson. He's got a couple Pelicans inbound, ETA 'bout an hour and a half."

I sighed in relief. "Finally."

"You can say that again." Blake replied, dryly.

"Heh, lookin' to get back to your porn stash already, Blake?"

She turned beet red. "I- Its not porn!" She shouted. "It's… _fine literature_. You wouldn't understand."

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. I was positively frozen, wondering just _what_ was going on. Meanwhile, Ruby had already sprung into action, drawing her Brute Spiker and scanning the horizon.

Moments later, more gunshots followed, and I shot up, Myrtenaster in hand and aura activated.

"Weiss, go get Winter and Yang; we've got a job to do." She said before taking off with Blake.

I huffed before carrying out my orders. It was as if the universe just had it out for us as of late…

* * *

(A/N) Aaaaaand cliffhanger! The best sort of hanger…. Somewhat… okay, maybe not.

The laser comms on UNSC ships is very much fanon; there is nothing to suggest the UNSC has ever used such a method of communication.

I'm guessing the vast majority of people reading this will not have any idea what the string at the end of Penny's scene says, so I'll just say its Hexadecimal and says…

"New objective: Recover Father-Geppetto's body."

"New objective: Search Kingdom-Atlas for Team RWBY."

The Belladonna family scene was by far one of the hardest interactions I've written so far. Emotional shit has always been difficult, but dear god _why_? I was so fed up with that particular scene that I actually decided to go write a summary. Funnily enough, doing _that_ actually enabled me to write the rest of the scene normally. Who'd'a thought?

Two of the OCs I mentioned in the Sienna scene are not going to be recurring people, just there to fill out the ranks. Gorm Robertson is based on Robert The Bruce (the man who secured Scottish independence around the turn of the 14th century. Gorm is Scottish Gaelic for blue, chosen due to the color of Scottish war paint.) and Niles Gyllene was based on Nils Dacke (the rebel leader of the Dacke War in Sweden, 1542 – 1543. Gyllene is Swedish for golden, chosen due to him fighting for Catholicism, which is associated with a golden color in history.). I briefly considered naming him Niles _Dakka_ and making him into a Gun Faunus. The third OC, Valkea Khan, will be recurring; at least for a bit. She's loosely based on Simo Häyhä, better known as the White Death. He fought on the Finnish side during the Winter War against the Soviets and racked up hundreds of kills with his outdated rifle. For the color relation, the name 'Valkea' translates to 'White' in Finnish. This makes it so there's technically two characters now who's name is just 'White' in another language; the other being Weiss.

Anyways, that's all I had, so on to the reviews! I don't actually remember which ones I responded to (since it's been so long), so I'll just do the guest ones for this chapter. If you had a question and I didn't answer it, either PM me or leave another review.

 **Wolfman said "Nice chapter i hope that when team rwby and winter return to vale ruby will put in a request for the rest of her team,winter and the rest of the student body including visiting ones for Odst training because they will definitely need it for the possibly reach size covenant invasion to come. Also kinda wondering how salem and her lackeys are reacting to this new foe no doubt they will try to steal some of their technology but that might backfire on them in the long good luck."**

I have plans for some better training, don't worry. Salem's cult is, indeed, moving pieces around behind the scenes, and I totally see them (read: Watts) doing that. Thanks!

 **Guest 001 said "I hope that Weiss plays the recording of her conversation with Jacques for ALL of Remnant to see! And that she makes a deal with the UNSC Forces to start a new company that will introduce ALL THE UNSC TECHNOLOGIES (Fusion Reactors, Slipspace/Space Flight, etc) that will utterly RUIN the Schnee Dust Company! It would be the perfect F$ &K YOU to Jacques!"**

The recording is certainly a thing I have to take into consideration, though its message will be slow to spread considering the CCT is down. Now _there's_ an idea. A very long term one, but a good idea nonetheless.

 **Guest 002 said "WTF, Weiss kills a White Fang goon (I thought the white fang don't wear masks in Menagerie)!? Why did Adam have "Schnee Blue Eyes"!?"**

Ilia obviously didn't get the memo in canon. I described them as 'Schnee Blue Eyes' because, to me, his canon eyes look like they're from that of a Schnee. Might just be me, but I think it'd be hilarious if Adam was actually Jacques's bastard. Probably not going to actually do that, but it's a funny thought.

 **Firewyrm said "Hey I just wanted to share an idea I have with you: a crossover between RWBY, Valkaria Chronicles, and Shakugan no Shana (more fandoms will be included they are just the main ones. After going to Xanadu, Yuji and Shana gain the ability to travel to other universes (along with Alastor) which leads to them meeting a 25-year old Ruby who is now the strong silent type and pessimistic (she also had a major growth spurt) because she is the only survivor of Remnant (she basically becomes a tsundere and tends to not show any sign of emotion very often). They also meet her traveling companion Isara Gunther who awoke on the barren remains of Remnant after her death (her personality hasn't changed). Ruby and Isara agree to travel with Yūji, Shana, and Alastor however Ruby tends to act somewhat bitter towards any heroes that potentially threaten the balance between good and evil (this even leads to her trying to kill Bloom from Winx Club at one point). She also (although subtly) enjoys seeing the romance between Yuji and Shana. Basically they help face prevent villains who have also gained this ability (like Makuta-Teridax and Luxu) from conquering other universes."**

You sound pretty passionate about this, but I've literally never heard of Valkaria Chronicles or Shakugan no Shana. Sooo… yeah… I don't know half the stuff you're saying, sorry.

 **Jackknife said "Hope Ruby picks up on cinder's manipulative tactics,gather intel on her,and slits her and her two minion's throats because we don't need the fall of beacon the fall of atlas was enough. The reason why i hope for this is because Ruby B-312 isn't naive as her canon self she will pick up on that bullshit and will investigate those three and report it to the despite her time on remnant she's still a spartan and will follow protocol no matter what much to her family's dismay excluding Yang if they find out about what she through."**

I mean, she does do a lot of wetwork, so that would certainly be in her nature. I'm trying to avoid meta-ing this story, though. I was pretty tempted in the Blake scene to say that they found documents basically outlining Adam's plans of world domination, but decided against it.

 **Guest 003 said "I don't get Weiss' freakout. At the start if the fic she seemed the most pragmatically minded of WBY with regards to killing, she's seen Ruby kill someone and taken potentially lethal action against humans already. She's seen LOTS of death already and sees the white fang as terrorists. Blake has likely killed before, Yang is the one who probably hasn't killed a human yet and would be fazed by it.**

 **Still, I like this fic a lot. Thanks for writing it, seeing a new chapter from you always makes my day better."**

The thing is, though, that she's used to _seeing_ people die; not doing the killing _herself_. In this regard, watching and doing are two _very_ different things. Hell, I'm a hunter irl and even _I_ know that, and my prey are just stupid (yet tasty) deer. If you went and asked any non-sociopathic person about the people they'd killed ( **don't** ) they'll tell you just how sickening it is knowing that you _personally_ ended a Human life.

Thanks! I didn't mean to get rant-y with the above part, but that's just what happens with this subject. Hope this chapter is as well received as the last one!

 **Guest 007 said "You've hinted whiterose (in a really adorable way), but you've tagged winter as a major character. Are you going for crimson blizzard? That's a truly rare ship. Or maybe she's just gonna be a fifth squad member, and penny as number six?**

 **Speaking of penny and her weapons, with dist weapons having enough recoil to launch their wielders through the air, would dust weaponry outclass unsc firearms in atmo or are all the landing odsts suddenly rocketing themselves around?**

 **And would Penny's funnel control and laser weapon make this Rubes nerd out?"**

I tagged her because she's a major character, that has no baring on who is shipped with who. I agree CB is an _extremely_ rare ship, so much so that I hadn't even heard of it until your review) but I won't reveal the ships, though I have them planned out already.

Imo, dust-based firearms completely eclipse gunpowder-based ones. It doesn't seem to be a very commonly held belief (probably because of their ineffectiveness in recent volumes) but that's what I've come to expect from them based on the Red Trailer, where, assuming Ruby is using .50BMG, the damage output is roughly equivalent to a 20mm cannon. Y'know, the thing they put on IFVs and aircraft because the recoil would _eviscerate_ a person.

Probably not _this_ Ruby, but canon Ruby would be drooling in a heartbeat. Actually, that might be why she stayed out of the fight at the end of Canon Volume 1, come to think of it. [New Headcanon Acquired]

 **Guest 009 said "Is Winter going to get a prosthetic limb in this story? I mean, Winter DID lose an arm in Eve Of Consecration, after that Sangheili cut it off."**

Yep.

* * *

Alright, that's the end of the guest reviews! Thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter; "The Reaper's Due".


	20. The Reaper's Due

(A/N) Those of you that don't follow ASH probably don't know why this is so late, so I'll give you the abridged version: I alternate chapters between this and that fic and chapter six kinda killed my will to write for a bit there. So yeah, that's why this hasn't been updated in a month and a half now.

Buuut now this chapter is done! So, yay!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Four – The Reaper's Due

* * *

/-\ Neopolitan /-\

Undisclosed Location

* * *

I sat on a particularly comfortable rafter while I waited for Roman to get back. I smirked at the sound my sword made as I sharpened it; the fine **-shhhhik-** of the blade running along the stone. I looked at my watch, he'd be back any minute from his meeting with Fire Bitch.

Oh, how I wanted _so_ bad to just run her through already, but I knew I'd never win in a straight-up fight. Instead, I contented myself with waiting until she made a mistake; waiting until she was at her _weakest_.

Then we'd be free.

'Soon.' I thought as I gave my blade an experimental twirl, producing a satisfying whistle. I looked over to the dummy a few meters away as it lazily swung in the crosswind, smirking at the noose around its neck and the picture of Fire Bitch duct taped to its head. Just as I was considering skewering it for the thousandth time, a loud **-BANG-** resounded throughout the abandoned house we resided in. My cocky smirk morphed into a happy smile; he was home.

I quickly sheathed the blade within my parasol and tossed it onto the hammock behind me just as the door slammed shut. Knowing exactly where he was currently stood, I leaned backwards and fell off my perch, doing a single flip before landing happily on his shoulders.

"…Hey Neo." He sighed.

I blinked before doing a summersault over his head, giving him a concerned look after I'd landed.

"It's nothin', just the little Matchstick tryin'a get us killed again." I raised an eyebrow. " _Apparently_ , she wants us to go 'convince'-" He said with airquotes. "- the crew of a few rogue Atlesian ships to join us."

I gave him a 'go on' motion.

"I just got a bad feeling about this one." He said. "I mean, you and I both know a couple o' navy schmucks don't stand a chance against us, I'm just worried about what made them _rogue_ ships."

I cupped my ear, pointing upwards with my other hand.

"Nope, still haven't heard from the guys up in Atlas yet." He said, hanging Melodic Cudgel on a nearby rack. "A few little birdies told me that _aliens_ of all things are the reason for that."

I gave him an incredulous look.

"I know, right? World's gone mad, I tell you!" He laughed, striding over to the map we used to plan our heists. "Alright, so this flotilla Matchstick's havin' us take over's supposed to be over in the Whispering Strait, just between Sanus and Vrayye." I nodded, pointing towards the 'tail' of the dragon-shaped continent he just mentioned. "She wants us to stowaway on a small freighter headed to some place on Vytal island and hopefully get caught by the fleet that way." I nodded in understanding. "…Only problem is the freighter leaves in three hours…"

I blinked, giving him an 'are you serious?' expression. At his affirmation, I bolted into action and started getting my things ready.

* * *

I sat on a crate in a damp room belowdecks, my legs kicking back and forth aimlessly as I waited for _something_ to happen. We'd been at sea for a few days now, each of us taking a long shift as we waited for our prey to show up.

I gave a silent sigh; the only thing on the horizon was a trio of small clouds aimlessly drifting throughout the sky. It was currently hour three of my six-hour watch, and I needed some bloody _fresh air_. I quickly wrote out a note explaining where I went and taped it to Roman's hat; he'd find it if he woke up before I got back.

Disguised as a sailor, I stepped outside the room, the watertight door creaking shut behind me. A few minutes later and I stood alone atop the deck, my parasol deployed. I twirled it aimlessly, staring at the endless ocean.

It was somewhat calming, especially since Fire Bitch was hundreds of miles away. That particular thought alone brought a smile to my face. Part of me wished that our prey wouldn't spring the trap and we'd arrive in Vytal as the ship was intended to, but then another part knew Fire Bitch was well-connected. Our service to her would end in blood; I just didn't know _who's_.

The clouds chose this moment in particular to pass over us, obstructing the noontime sun. Just as I was about to head back to our room, the ship violently shook. I managed to remain on my feet, but many of the things on the deck were flung about like toys.

I turned around and before me stood a _massive_ claw, but not one attached to a Grimm. Instead, it was linked by several great chains up to the large cloudthat hung above our ship. I blinked before realizing those cheeky bastards had disguised their flotilla as _clouds_ of all things.

As our ship began to ascend into the sky, hoisted by the claw, I sprinted back to our room to get Roman. The moment I reached the door, it flew open, revealing the hat-clad man I was looking for. "Neo!" He shouted. "What's going on?!"

I mimed a ship traveling in rough seas, then made said ship go upwards into the sky.

"Do you know who's doing this?"

I made a 'so-so' gesture.

"The guys we're after?"

I nodded.

"Y'know, why couldn't we just stay in Vale?" He quipped before setting off, me right behind him. Just as we exited onto the deck once more, our freighter was pulled into an extremely large docking bay of some kind.

Even with our ship only being around a hundred-twenty meters, it was still a fairly tight fit inside the ship that had pulled us in. Looking around, I realized we were in the repair and recovery bay of a Sovereign-class battlecarrier. While the Atlesian seal emblazoned on the end of the bay had been spray-painted over with a red skull, the name was still very much visible. RANV Sovereign BCV-6.

Just as I'd noted that fact, several dozen Atlesian soldiers boarded our ship; their armor having red streaks spray-painted on. Since we were the only ones on the deck, currently, they surrounded us and pointed _all_ their weapons at our heads.

I gave a silent chuckle at the thought that these idiots intended to fight us.

"Oooooh, soooo many guns!" Roman said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "We're sooooooo scared!" He turned to the nearest faceless soldier. "Hey there, how's about you be a good little drone and get your captain, now woulddya? We've got businesswith him."

"Roman Torchwick." A deep voice said from within the crowd of soldiers, causing them to part. "I thought I made it clear I _never_ wanted to see you again."

His head snapped towards the voice, his classic cocky smile on his face. "Ah, Sulky!" He shouted. "Long time no see! How're the kids?"

The newcomer's fists clenched. "Still as dead as you're about to be."

"Ah, so someone brought 'em back, then?" Roman said, aimlessly twirling his cane. "Must've been a _pretty_ powerful semblance to put all those pieces back together."

"You son of a-"

"Ah ah ah!" He said, wagging his gloved finger at the captain like a parent disciplining their child. "You know _I_ didn't kill 'em, so why take it out on me? Besides, all I want is your little fleet." He hummed. "Actually, I wanna hightail it over to Argus and lay low for a few years, buuuut orders are orders." He smirked. "And the boss lady wants your fleet, so she's gonna get it."

"You and what army?" He scoffed. "I've got an entire company behind me and, unlike you, Iactually _finished_ my stint at Atlas Academy."

Roman tisked. "Was _really_ hopin' you'd just listen to common sense, Sulky." He said. "Neo, if you would…?" I smirked and activated my semblance moments before their first shots hit, shattering our now-illusory forms into glass.

* * *

/-\ Penny Polendina /-\

Beacon Academy

* * *

I sprinted towards the landing pads, my window of opportunity rapidly closing. The last CCTV footage I'd seen before leaving the administrator's office showed the man I needed to talk to already entering Ozpin's office. By the time I'd entered academy grounds, the meeting would've already been finished.

I was very thankful for my robotic nature, as otherwise, I was one-hundred-percent sure I would not have been able to maintain a sprint for twenty miles. While I needed to hurry, I was _not_ red-lining my systems; no surviving facilities would be able to perform a complete overhaul.

I rounded the final corner and, finally, the man of the hour came into sight. He was dressed in full white, a quartet of black-armored guards forming a square around him. Fifty meters away from him was his destination; a green airship surrounded by half-a-dozen more black-armored soldiers.

I quickly sprinted between the two, drawing every crosshair the strangers had. I slowly raised my hands in a surrendering motion, keeping my body as non-threatening as possible as to avoid an altercation…

…However unlikely a peaceful resolution may be…

The man strode forward, stopping when he was in-line with the front two soldiers. "Would you kindly move? I've seen enough death for one lifetime; I don't need to order another one."

"With respect, sir," I started. "… I need to talk to you."

"The hell you are, girlie!" One of the guards shouted.

His eyes narrowed. "I'm a very busy man. You have twenty seconds."

I immediately placed a counter on my HUD, costing less than a second. "My father never made it out of Atlas. He was our foremost expert in dust application, and I have video evidence he hid a hard drive with likely important information stored in it near his final resting place." I said. "Much of our technology would have been lost in the invasion, but this is our chance to recover a portion. I will personally ensure you receive a copy of its contents if you choose to help me retrieve it." I finished, the last word leaving my mouth just as the time expired.

He paused, taking my statement into consideration. "You have proof, you say?"

I nodded. "The aforementioned video is on my scroll, in my backpack."

He hummed. "Pull up the video and leave your scroll on the ground, then back away from it." I did exactly as he asked, ending up approximately twenty meters off to the side. "Zimmerman, retrieve the device." One of the men from the airship nodded and jogged forward, eventually reaching my scroll.

"It's a three second clip, sir!" He shouted. "Shows exactly what the kid said it did; guy puts a hard drive in a wall safe then dies to a plasma rifle. Went down fighting."

He looks back to me. "We'll take this into consideration. What's your name?"

"Penny." I said. "Penny Polendina."

"We'll be in touch with Headmaster Ozpin. He'll let you know what we decide."

I nodded, knowing this was the furthest I would get with these people. "Thank you, sir."

He grunted. "Zimmerman, leave the phone here. It's time we left."

Minutes later, the green airship took off towards their dreadnought; their people safely aboard. Only after they'd taken off did I retrieve my scroll and begin to head over to General Ironwood to inform him of recent developments.

"Penny?!" I heard someone shout from the now-dispersing crowd.

I paused mid-stride, my head whipping around to meet the familiar voice. "Acquaintance-Jaune?" I asked, surprised he was here.

He ran up to me, though I didn't know why. "Penny, where have you been? We've been looking for _hours_ after you ran off!"

"You were looking for me?" I asked, head tilted in confusion.

"Well, what do you _expect_ us to do? You just ran off after Mister Schnee said your friend was dead!" He said. "We thought you might do something… well… uhh…" He trailed off.

"I appreciate you being worried about me, Acquaintance-Jaune, but I needed to know what happened in Atlas." I said, not understanding what he was getting at. "I discovered my father didn't survive."

His expression softened. "…Oh… I'm sorry…" He said. "Hey, did you still wanna go to Vale? Maybe it'll help get your mind off things."

I hesitated for a moment. "Yes." I finally decided on, giving a slight nod. "It will be a while before my request is responded to, anyway."

"Huh? Request?"

I nodded. "Yes. I asked the unknowns to accompany me to Atlas."

He blinked. "Wait, what? _Why?_ "

"I…" I hesitated. "I need to recover my father's body…"

He stood completely still, shocked at my reasoning. After exactly one minute and forty-seven seconds, he regained his composure. "I…" He sighed. "I can't speak for the rest of my team, but I'm coming with you."

I gave him a quizzical look. "You don't need to do that, Acquaintance-Jaune, I'm combat ready."

He tapped the sword at his hip. "Yeah, so am I." He said. "And like Ruby always says, 'Don't go anywhere without a Battle Buddy'."

"Wait, does that mean you're my friend?" I asked, having never heard of a 'Battle Buddy'.

"Uhh… Sure! Why not?" He said. "Besides, isn't it a bit… _weird_ that you keep calling me 'Acquaintance Jaune'?"

I tilted my head to the side in confusion. "Is that not how normal meat people refer to each other during conversation?"

"Uhh… No…" He said, slowly. "But anyways, I'm gonna text the team; they'll meet us here."

I nodded. "Very well, fri-" I stopped myself. "Very well, Jaune."

* * *

I sat in the back of one of their airships; a _Pelican_ , I heard someone call it. I'd long since given up trying to decipher _why_ it was named after the seabird and turned my attention to the mission. I sat in one of sixteen seats in the Pelican's troop bay, the entirety of huntsman Team JNPR at my side. Opposite us sat three men in black armor and another four in somewhat less protective tan armor.

"Commin' up on the LZ, boys and girls!" The pilot announced over the intercom. "Five mikes!"

"Already?" Jaune asked. "Man, _where_ have ships like this been all my life? I didn't even _need_ this thing!" He happily shouted, throwing his barf bag in the air and earning a glare from the soldiers opposite us. He gave a nervous chuckle before taking his bag back and trying to change the subject. "But seriously, this thing is _way_ better than a Bullhead."

"Indeed." His partner agreed. "Our own airships would not be able to make this journey on a single tank of fuel; let alone carrying that vehicle." She said, gesturing to the closed bay door, or more specifically, the scout vehicle that hung from the airship's tail.

"Yeah," One of the tan-armored soldiers started. "havin' a 'Hog's kinda nice sometimes."

Two of the black-armored soldiers started whispering to each other, obviously not wanting to be heard, but my sensors picked up their conversation easily. "Tror du att det fortfarande finns några Covenant där nere?" One of them said, not that I could understand a word he was saying.

"Vi är inte så lyckliga, Brandman…" He sighed. "Vi planerar fortfarande att få hans kropp, eller hur?"

The first one nodded. "Esprit de Corps, Arvid."

"Vi borde inte ha lämnat honom i första hand."

"Jag vet, men vi hade inget val."

"LZ in sight." The pilot said, interrupting their conversation. "Looks clear; thermals too."

"Nobody around, then." One of the tan-armored soldiers said. "Set us down on street level, then. The Bjørnsønner can take the 'Hog and scout for survivors, we'll get our job done in the meantime."

"Copy, lieutenant." The pilot said before our craft thumped against the ground, the hatch dropping moments later.

The soldiers immediately sprinted out of the ship, guns raised, and spread out in a semi-circle around the ramp before motioning us to follow. After we were clear, the ship lifted off again, leaving only us and their vehicle. The lieutenant and one of the black-armored soldiers exchanged a few words before they all climbed in and took off, leaving only us and the four tan-armored soldiers.

My heart sank as I looked out over the _ruins_ of Atlas. Buildings once a pristine white were marred by scorch marks, the ones that were still _standing,_ that is; many laid in unrecognizable piles of rubble. The still-burning landscape in the distance shined a faint glow on the horizon, though most of the sky was obscured by pitch-black smoke that bellowed from the infernos.

Even though it was currently noon, the light level was scarcely above that at dusk as the ashclouds obscured the sun. I reached down to the ground, picking up some of the ash that blanketed the ground and rolled it between my fingers; staining my synthskin black.

I was brought out of my ruminations when one of the soldiers tapped me on the shoulder. "Yes?" I asked, turning around.

He held up a surgical mask. "Ash is too thick to safely breathe." He said. "We've got our helmets, but you'll need this." I would've refused his offer, but doing so would seem suspicious, so I thanked him and donned the mask. "Alright, do you know where your father's lab was?"

I nodded. "Yes, lieutenant." I said, remembering his rank. "It's only a few blocks from here, I'll lead the way."

As we continued on, we passed several bodies, most of them having been burned. I was actually _thankful_ for my artificial nature, as I physically could not vomit, unlike Jaune. After a few minutes of walking through the ashlands, we finally reached my father's lab.

Thankfully, it was still _mostly_ standing, though it adorned just as many scorchmarks as the buildings surrounding it. The door was forced open and, as we entered, we saw that the lobby had been ransacked; chairs and desks smashed or overturned, shards of random things on the ground.

I steeled my nerves and pushed on, leading the others through the corridors until we finally found the primary laboratory; the one marked with a plaque that read **Doctor** **Geppetto Polendina**. This door had been forced open too, and inside, my father laid motionless.

I stood in front of him, completely unsure of what to do. I was 100% sure that he was dead and thus, couldn't hear me, so why did I feel the urge to talk to him? I spent many thousands of cycles on this question, never coming up with an answer. Furthermore, I was just an android, why did I feel the urgeto do _anything_?

My head twitched; now was not the time to do this. I could process the day's events on the flight home. Right now, I had to fulfil my end of the bargain and open the safe. I wordlessly strode past the P.E.N.N.Y. pod, the place where my current body was assembled, and reached behind the very same bookcase I'd seen my father stash the hard drive behind.

The resolution on the video was too poor to notice, but this drive was no ordinary one. It was, instead, an experimental wireless multi-phase storage unit, one which still had power. As I stowed it in my backpack, I began downloading the contents. The download itself would take half-an-hour to complete, but I had time.

As the others moved to leave, I quickly picked up my father's body.

"Know him?" The lieutenant asked.

"He is my father." I replied in a monotone voice.

His shoulders lowered a fraction of an inch. "Everyone lost someone in this war. I'm sorry, for what it's worth…" He paused a moment. "Huh, we've got comms back. Storm must be over." He commented. "I'll radio for evac, we've got what we came for." He paused. "And yes, you can bring your father back with you."

I gave him an appreciative smile.

Suddenly, his hand snapped to his ear. "Say again, command?" He paused again. "Ah, shit. Everyone stay here; we've got a Stormcutter runnin' around."

* * *

/-\ Yang Xiao Long /-\

Shipboard Huntsman's Lodge

* * *

I threw another target up in the air, followed moments later by it being cut in half. "I'd uhh… I'd say you're still good, Winter." I said, looking at the three-dozen targets that all laid perfectly bisected on the floor.

She sheathed her saber, a neutral look on her face. "I'm still off-balance." She said, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face.

"Well… not really…" I said, trying to comfort her and utterly failing at it. "I mean, I uhh… I couldn't've done that, and I've still got both arms!" Right after I finished speaking, I immediately slapped a hand over my mouth. "Oh, gods! I- I'm so-"

"Stop." She commanded, walking up to me. "Weiss said you carried me out of there on your back. If that doesn't earn you a slip of the tongue or two, I don't know what will."

I blinked. "Uhh… thanks…?" I said, half-asking if that was the proper response.

"Don't mention it." She immediately replied, a wry smirk on her face. My head tilted in confusion, causing her to sigh. "The arm…" She deadpanned.

"Oh… uhh… su-"

Suddenly, the doors burst open, revealing an armed and ready Weiss. "The port is under attack!" She shouted. "Ruby and Blake are already engaged. Get your helmets and let's move!" I only hesitated for a moment before scooping up my helmet on a nearby table, tossing Winter hers as we ran out the door.

"What're we dealing with? Covenant?" Winter asked.

"We don't know." Weiss said. "Ruby, got any intel for us yet?"

My comms flared to life. "There aren't any purple ships in the sky, so covvies are out. Probably."

"That's good to hear." I said. "How's about uhh… how's about Grimm?"

"Haven't seen any- wait. I've got visual on a firefight; looks like two groups of civilians." She said. "What the hell? Hey Blake, mind filling us in on why there're Vampires _defending_ the town?"

We reached the outside and vaulted over the ship's railing, landing in a forward roll and continuing our run towards the distant gunfire.

"I don't know! But they're fighting alongside Humans!" My partner shouted into the comms.

" _And_ against them!" Ruby pointed out. "Weiss, swing your team around the north side; we'll be the anvil, you're the hammer. Alice, set them a waypoint then tell Witherson to get his ass over here! We might need to evac the city!"

"Message transmitted verbatim, Spartan." Alice replied cheekily.

"Oh, for fucks- Wait, who the hell is _she_?"

"What's happening?" Weiss asked as we climbed a building, easily keeping up with our slowest teammate.

"Some woman just entered the battle." Blake said. "Given how easily she just dealt with the 'Fang lookalikes, she's trouble." She paused. "I can just make out her giving orders…" One more pause. "They're bandits." She said, anger in her voice.

"You handle the bandits themselves; I've got Missus tall, dark, and bitchy over there."

"Copy, I'll take them down non-lethally."

"I wouldn't count on that." Ruby advised. "What's you guys's ETA?"

"Just over two minutes." Weiss said as we jumped over a street filled with civilians.

"Alright, I'll keep her occupied. When you get here, hit 'er in the back but don't stick around. I've got a bad feeling about her." Ruby said, Blake humming in agreement moments later.

We sprinted towards the battle, the gunfire growing quieter with each passing step we took. Even if it was only two minutes, it still felt like hours as my heart hammered away in my chest, a nagging thought in my head that this seemed _wrong_ somehow.

I sprinted ahead of the other two, wanting to reinforce my sister as soon as humanly possible. When I entered the battlefield, I instantly knew why it seemed wrong. I'd seen the figure doing battle with my sister before; I'd seen her in dad and uncle Qrow's old pictures.

" _Raven_?!" I shouted in utter disbelief.

Her masked face snapped to my position, giving Ruby the opportunity to land a punch that sent her rolling across the ground. When she got back up, her mask was missing; dislodged by both the punch and her brief encounter with the dirty street.

Her red eyes bored into my visor, making me want to shrink away, but I stood strong and opposed the person that wore my own face. I removed my helmet, showing her who I really was, but I couldn't find any words that would accurately express how I felt. _Joy_ at finally meeting my birth mother. _Anger_ that she left my dad and I so long ago. _Disgust_ that she'd turned to banditry. _Hatred_ that she was likely _leading_ these bandits.

She smirked. "So, you finally found me and you can't even say 'Hi'." She said, an air of superiority about her.

My eyes narrowed. "What am I supposed to say? 'Hi mom, glad I found you after you left us for fucking dead'?"

"Wait, that's your-"

"Yeah, Blake." I interrupted. "That's Raven Branwen. My _biological_ mother."

"Tch, so cold." Raven sarcastically remarked. "To refer to your mom as just-"

"You are _not_ my mom." I shouted. "My _mom_ was Summer Rose. I didn't even know you _existed_ until after her and Ruby died, and even _then,_ it was from a _picture_!"

"I was merely following the Branwen tradition." She said. "The tribe needed a chief, and Qrow and I were the only ones available. _Someone_ had to pick up the slack."

"You chose _murderers_ over your own _daughter_?" Weiss asked. "You're no better than my father."

Raven only shrugged. "The strong live, and the weak die. Such is life."

"Do you _know_ what we went through after they died?!" I shouted. "Dad shut down _completely_. _I_ shut down completely. One day, I went into the fucking forest and I didn't _want_ to come back!" I said. "I wanted to _die_ out there! I thought it would be easier for everyone if I just _died_! Where were _you_ when t- the Beowolves c- came, huh?!" My voice started trembling. "W- Where was my mother when ten-year-old me _gave up_ o- on li- ife?!"

Her gaze remained hard. "You know what I said."

"So I w- was weak, then?" I asked. "Y- your own d- daugh- aughter. You'd ju- just let me die i- if it came to it." She remained silent. "If- if it were- weren't for Q- Qrow, I- I- I would be." Her gaze broke momentarily, but it flicked back to me almost instantaneously. "I- I- I just wan- anted to b- be loved…"

I sniffed. "I _tried_. I tried so _hard_ to be strong." I said. "I knew mom and Ruby would want that." I glared at her, my eyes flicking red. "When that didn't work, I _looked_ for you. I thought we could be a _family_." I crossed my arms. "You're not worth the effort."

She took a step back, as if physically struck. "Don't you _dare_ talk about your mother that way!"

"You have no _right_ to call yourself my mom." I said. "As far as I'm concerned, you're just a bandit that needs to be stopped."

Her hand moved to her sword. "Well, if you want to believe _Summer_ was your mom this whole time, why don't I send you to her?" She said, smirking. Before I could react, she shot forward faster than I could blink, her sword raised over her head.

I moved to block, but no strike came. Instead, I felt her throw me into a newly-formed portal of some kind. I landed with a roll, ready to jump back through said portal, but it vanished before my eyes, replaced by a gunmetal grey wall.

I searched frantically for any clue as to my whereabouts, but the only thing I could see were these… _pods_ of some kind. That and a large '4' emblazoned on the far wall. At this point, I noticed the pod nearest to me was occupied and cold to the touch.

Before I even knew what I was doing, I leaned against the glass and peered into the pod…

…only to physically recoil in surprise when I recognized the face.

"…M- Mom?"

* * *

/-\ Raven Branwen /-\

* * *

I smirked as I sent the little brat to gods-know-where. 'Ugh, the _nerve_ of some people!' I thought…

…right before getting clocked in the face by an armored gauntlet.

I reeled from the strike, but recovered quickly enough to dodge the follow-up. I needed distance to get my footing back, so I kicked her backwards. She was heavier than I expected, and I ended up using her as a springboard more than pushing her back. I didn't know who this person was, but she was _good_. I might need to pull out all the stops to win. Too bad Vernal wasn't here, I could've used a scapegoat.

Just as I landed, several giant yellow/orange spikes flew past me, one painfully pinging off my aura before I could start blocking them. Moments later, the barrage stopped, and my opponent picked up a crude sword that one of my men had dropped.

She charged forward, silent as a phantom. Just as our blades contacted, I felt a sword swipe across my back. Without thinking, I dove to the side, but the Red Soldier reacted quicker than humanly possible; attacking seemingly the _moment_ I moved.

I kept rolling, desperately searching for an opening to recover when her three Black Soldiers joined in. They were slower, but still obstacles to worry about. Having even _less_ room to maneuver, I gambled on rolling between the one-armed solder's legs.

It worked, and I was able to hit her in the back of the head on the way up, staggering her. I summersaulted over another barrage of spikes, but was pushed into one of the others with a white glyph of some kind. Moments later, a knife raked its way across my aura before my would-be assailant kicked me away.

Before I knew what was happening a _massive_ fist slammed into me, sending me careening into a nearby building. I mentally checked my aura; roughly _twenty percent_. The situation was _not_ under control. I could _not_ afford to take any more hits. I blinked. When my eyes opened again, purple flames sprouted from them like miniature infernos.

It was time to get serious.

I shot out of the building, surprising the soldier-huntresses. I thrust my palm forwards, towards the Red Soldier, and created a gale; sending her flying backwards. Her golden aura flickered just from the winds, and I saw it break on impact.

The two sword-wielders tried to pincer me, but an ice wall stopped the more-experianced (yet one-handed) one while I deftly disarmed the other; flicking her rapier into a nearby building before kicking her away. Her blue aura shattered on impact and she lay on the ground, unmoving.

"Weiss!" I heard the other one shout, though her voice was muffled by the helmet.

I ducked under her strike, but a sting in my ribs indicated that the knife-wielder _somehow_ managed to get behind me. Not wanting either of them close to me, I summoned a blizzard all around me, causing them to be blown back…

…or at least the knife-wielder was…

The one-armed soldier held herself in place with a black glyph and tried, again, to strike me. I parried three of her strikes before landing a hit of my own, dazing her enough to let me get a heavy hit in; sending her backwards.

Just as the hit landed, the Red Soldier reappeared, her golden aura flaring in the wind. She moved with _inhuman_ speed, almost matching my own levels _with_ the power of the Spring Maiden. The others seemed to leave us alone for the time being, content to watch their leader do battle with me.

We matched each other blow for blow, but she hit _hard_. So hard, in fact, that my dust blade shattered. I quickly retrieved another one from my sheath, dodging a retaliatory strike in the process. As my blade came down for another strike, I suddenly jerked to the left, dodging the thrust of a knife from behind.

I struck my would-be assailant's faceplate with my pommel, stunning her as I swept her legs out from under her. I couldn't finish her, however, as her red comrade tackled me to the ground. She grabbed a knife from her armor, the only thing saving my aura from a thorough penetrating being the fact that I quickly encased her arm in ice.

That move proved to be _just_ enough of a distraction to allow me to kick her off me and roll away. I needed to separate them. Together, they were too much for me, but I'd easily be able to beat them one at a time.

Just as the thought left my mind, I had to deal with the red one again. I tisked; she would be first. I moved to parry another strike, but this turned out to be a _very_ well-hidden feint, allowing her to rake her blade across my aura. One more hit and it would break.

I put all my power into summoning a blunted ice spike, using it to catapult her outside the city walls. I followed after her and actually _beat_ her to the place where she'd land. Just as she was about to hit the ground, I sent a wild kick into her back. The impact actually _broke_ my aura, but it also sent her careening into the city walls.

Moments after she hit, she launched herself back at me, unarmed with both her red _and_ golden auras sparking around her. She sprinted faster than anyone should've been able to without aura and, now that _mine_ was gone as well, I had to be extra careful.

As one of my blades glanced off her armor, I suddenly found myself envious of her equipment. That feeling, however, was quickly replaced by anger when she landed a glancing blow to my jaw, knocking out a tooth.

This needed to end _now_. I pulled out all the stops and unleashed the full fury of my maiden powers, further augmenting my already impressive speed with literal magic. I dodged every one of her further strikes, all the while chipping away at her armor.

After an _almost-dodged_ strike to her breastplate, her entire left side seized up, causing her to fall to the ground. Exploiting this opening, I struck her helmet with the pommel of my weapon, shattering her faceplate and revealing a pair of furious _silver eyes_.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

"What are you waiting for?" I growled at the _bitch_ standing over me. "You already killed your own _daughter_ , why not her sister, too?" I asked, keeping an eye on what was left of my HUD; specifically, the motion tracker.

She huffed. "The apple didn't fall far from the tree, did it?" She opened her mouth to say something just as snarky, but was cut off by a barrage of spikes. She blocked most of them, but one got through her defenses and embedded itself in her shoulder.

She screamed and clutched the wound as three yellow dots converged on our location. At first, I thought she'd retaliate, but then she vanished; replaced by a _bird_ of all things. The raven flew off, leaving a handful of feathers behind as the remainder of my team came into view above me.

"I told you guys to regroup at the ship…" I deadpanned.

"And let you die?" My partner asked as she reloaded the spiker in her hands. "We're a _team_." She said. "We don't leave each other behind."

I reached up with my still-mobile arm and gave her a Spartan Smile. "Nice shot." I said, earning a nod. "Bitch tore out a few too many servos and I'm out of aura, can one of you reach the override on my back? It's a little red dial just below the mod jack."

"I got it." Blake said as I rolled over.

Moments later, my armor shut down, and I was able to move my left side again. I stood up, swinging my limbs around experimentally as I did so. "Goddamn, this thing's heavy…" I muttered before turning back to Weiss. "How's the head? Diagnostics said you got rung pretty bad."

"Headache." She admitted. "But all in all, I'll live."

I nodded. "Good to hear, and you're keeping the spiker, by the way. I'm not risking you getting into melee without aura."

She blinked behind her transparent visor. "What do you mean? We drove her off."

"Yeah, but the _Grimm_ won't care." All three of my teammates stiffened. "You've still got comms, right? Ask when Witherson's gonna get here." I sighed. "I just want to go home."

Blake put her hand on my shoulder as Weiss moved to contact the commander…

…only for the frigate in question to pass overhead, a trio of Pelicans escorting it.

Moments later, one of them touched down at our position. "Well, that's good timing…" I remarked as the ramp dropped.

"He says he's got men inbound to cover the evacuation." Weiss said. "We're clear to come aboard."

"Well thank god for small mercies…" I muttered as I dragged myself towards the dropship. A minute later and we'd be on the _Odinsdottir_ , safe at last…

* * *

/-\ Professor Ozpin /-\

Beacon Academy

* * *

I put on a neutral face as James walked into my office looking as tired as ever. "I came right away," He said. "you said over the scroll that it was something that needed to be discussed face-to-face."

"Indeed." I replied. "Are you thirsty?" I said, gesturing to the coffee pot on my desk. "I have a feeling we may be here a while."

He thought it over for a moment before nodding and pulling out a flask from inside his jacket. "Knowing you, I'll need this to take the edge off." He huffed. "I still don't like that we let Penny go back to Atlas without any Troopers…"

"But she _is_ with an entire team of my students, which would be objectively better at protecting her than her usual pair of guards." I said as I poured him a glass, leaving him some room to spike it however much he wished. "I'm still not happy about you building her behind my back, but you have my thanks for revealing her nature before something… _drastic_ happened."

He grunted in affirmation, taking a swig from his spiked coffee. "I didn't really have a choice…" He muttered. "Let's just get on with the meeting."

"Very well." I acquiesced. "Given recent events, I believe we're out of time to find a new candidate. No matter how morally questionable it is, we are simply out of options…" I sighed. "It is time for a new Fall Maiden to be born."

* * *

(A/N) Aaaand Ozzie is back with his scheming, meanwhile, Team RWWBY know some stuff they _really_ shouldn't've found out yet.

Some people might be wondering why Ruby thinks Yang is dead, so here's what I picture her thought process as: 1) she sees Raven throw Yang into a portal; 2) Raven says she's sending her to her mom, who she thinks is dead;3) these two things mean she's sending Yang to the afterlife. Keep in mind that she doesn't know how Raven's semblance works, so sending someone to the afterlife is on the table for possibilities (at least to her).

A lot of people probably don't know what a 'Stormcutter' is (that thing the as-of-yet-unnamed UNSC lieutenant said was flying around), so I'll just direct you to Halopedia's entry on the DAS-class Stormcutter. For the lazy, its basically a prowler-sized Covenant scout ship.

And lastly, the translations for the Swedish sections. I don't remember the _exact_ translations, just the rough ones.

 **Tror du att det fortfarande finns några Covenant där nere?**

Do you think there are any Covenant here?

 **Vi är inte så lyckliga, Brandman… Vi planerar fortfarande att få hans kropp, eller hur?**

We're not that lucky, Brandman… We're still planning on retrieving his body, right?

 **Esprit de Corps, Arvid.**

Spirit of the Corps, Arvid. (Not Swedish. USMC saying with many meanings; "No man left behind" in this case.)

 **Vi borde inte ha lämnat honom i första hand.**

We shouldn't've left him in the first place.

 **Jag vet, men vi hade inget val.**

I know, but we didn't have a choice.

Alright, that's all I had to say for this one, so on to the reviews!

* * *

 **A Fan said – "Ok with this UNSC X remnant tag team I can already see the instant checkmate (at least for now) to salems plan I mean put just one of the relics on an outbound ship from remnant and there goes her win of course there is so much more to it than that but that plan on paper is delicious but oz would never... at least till he has some marines loyal to him..."**

Pretty much. As you said, the only flaw with this plan (on paper) is that it requires Ozpin to tell the truth for once in his goddamn lives.

 **Wolffrang said – "Good chapter man honestly this was one of the most heartbreaking chapter's of this fic especially with penny seeing her father's last moments (poor girl). Now a question for you do you know of a writer named Freedom guard He passed away some time ago unfortunately but his work was some of the best I've ever seen,if you haven't I highly recommend reading some of his work (specifically Halo x world of warcraft and halo x mass effect spartan dawn) sadly both are unfinished but if you read them you will see that he had big plans for both."**

I hadn't heard of him, no, but I gave his fics a look and they had some interesting ideas.

 **ManticoreBlues said – "love it but what's the fate of wilt and blush?"**

I wasn't thinking and had her leave it on the Odinsdottir; same with Blake's Gambol Shroud and possibly Yang's Ember Celica, I can't remember.

 **IcyDoom said – "Kul att se några svenska/nordiska soldater med"**

Det är nog inte vanligt att se svenska på denna webbplats. Jag lär mig fortfarande, så snälla rätta mig om jag har fel. Bjørnsønner kommer snart tillbaka.

 **RedOctober700 said – "Adam- *exists***

 **Me- Sharpens Meat Cleaver with malice intent.**

 **Adam needs to be dead. He really thinks the covvies are cute and cuddly? Bloody Incerictionist. Did he not see that the covenant does not care if you are human or faunas, they are equally dead? Of corse he did but he is to far gone in his derp face way of thinking to see that or to care! Permission to run him over with a forklift? Please? No? Damn.**

 **Ok so I am not going to say much else for this chapter other then lets see who is causeing trouble on the boat. Hopefully, it ain't a ha. A goat on a boat.**

 **Also somthing that came to mind. I was rewatching season 1 and 4 and noticed somthing. In season one Ruby sounds older than she does in 4. Anyone else notice that or is it just me.**

 **I wont go into shipps, I personly have my own ideas of shipps, and I know others including yourself have your own. That and when talking about shipping you are always bound to piss someone off. So I am just going to say my peace and be done with it. That being a very simple thing. Make sure it is earned. I pesonly did not like how RT handled V6s ending. It felt forced and virtue signaling for my taste. I dont ship bumblebee. never have and probbly never will, but if done right I could accept it. season 6 did not do that.**

 **Again that is me. You do you. This is your story not mine. ( Just leting you know where I stand and request to do it right) Ok I am done I will give you the rebuttle, but as for me, I am dropping it. I may seem negitve, and in a sence I might be, I just belive that if you do a ship, do it right. Ok I am done. whoooo. That feels good to get off."**

A meat cleaver? Nah, use _this_ -hands you a cheese grater- it's what he _deserves_. What can I say? His hateboner for Humanity is so big it's literally obscuring his vision of reality. Just like in canon.

Her voice is, indeed, different in V1 from the later ones. This is because Lindsay wasn't happy with how she sounded and the rest of CRWBY liked the more childish Ruby better. Hence reverse puberty.

I may be a Bumblebee shipper myself, but even I agree that hugging it out over your ex's corpse isn't the _best_ way to start a healthy relationship. The major ones will have effort put into them, but the ships themselves won't be the primary focus of the fic.

 **Guest001 said – "I enjoyed this chapter, GreenTheRyno. Are Weiss, Blake, Yang, and Winter gonna be in Spartan IV armor, or are they gonna keep thier ODST type armor?"**

Thanks! And they'll be keeping the ODST armor. Especially since nobody on Remnant knows the S-IV's even exist. [Insert perfectly balanced meme here]

 **Guest002 said – "GreenTheRyno, when is the next chapter coming out? Is Blue Team gonna eventually be in this story as well? Excellent chapter btw!"**

Thanks! And probably not, but that could change eventually. I'm very known for randomly changing my mind. Also, I can't directly respond to guest reviews (one of the reasons for addressing them at the end of a chapter) so… that's why I didn't answer you.

 **Guest003 said – "Is said prosthetic limb going to be like Kat's arm?"**

Probably.

 **ExodiaGeass8910 said – "I have to wonder what will happen if further UNSC forces arrive at Remnant, will they end up bringing Separatist forces along? It will be interesting to see how this goes, especially if the Atlas forces become the first to have a chance to join the UNSC proper at some point"**

I can't really respond to that (because spoilers) other than I have plans in place for some of that.

 **Firewyrm2 said – "That does raise a couple of questions though, if the dead body Ruby remembers isn't her mom, then, who was it and will Summer return to Remnant?"**

You probably meant to post this on ASH, but I'll answer it anyways. It was, indeed, her mom, but keep in mind that she was 5 years old at the time, didn't _really_ understand death at the time, and suffered head trauma large enough to cause permanent memory loss moments later. Some inconsistencies are bound to pop up.

* * *

Aaand that's it for this long-overdue chapter! See you all in "Not All Of Us"; the next chapter.


	21. Not All of Us

(A/N) Soooo…. I just realized that a very important date was coming up in the middle of writing the next ASH chapter, and that's why you're getting a main series update first. Said date is actually the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THIS FIC! (even though it's long gone by the time this thing actually _got_ finished) Like… holy shit. If someone told me that this thing managed to get almost 500 favorites, _well_ over 600 followers, and attain the #4 spot for most favorited Halo x RWBY fic on the site (right behind "Crashing The Party", a fic which partially inspired this one), then I probably would've written you off as an overly optimistic idiot and walked away silently… Yeah… I'm kind of a Male!Blake in terms of social situations…

But seriously, guys, _thank you_. I probably would've abandoned this thing (and writing in general) long ago were it not for your encouragement.

And now I get to, once again, admit my own idiocy in forgetting to tell you guys something _last_ chapter. And that is that the first true omake for this story has been posted; you can find it below the review responses on chapter 9 "Divide". It mostly shores up the end of Weiss's racism arc while adding in something that I never really found a place for before the Fall of Atlas arc. Plus, it does a _little_ bit of worldbuilding as well. I don't know when I'll do more omakes, but I know I won't put any more at the end of previous chapters like that. Also, I really want to just get ASH out of the way, so I'm going to finish up the last two or three chapters before another one of these gets posted.

Anyways, with that out of the way, on with the chapter!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Five – Not All of Us

* * *

/-\ Neopolitan /-\

Pirate ship _Sovereign_

* * *

My eyes narrowed as a quartet of people stepped into view from the bowls of their transports. Three I recognized; Kick Boy, Street Rat, and, of course, _Fire Bitch_. The fourth, however, was new. He just _screamed_ the dapper-villain type; a spot already occupied by _Roman_. I twirled my weapon, silently wishing I could do to him like I'd done to that ' _Sulky'_ Roman had apparently known.

This new guy would _not_ replace my friend.

The four disembarked from their bullhead onto the top deck of the battlecarrier, our _Tyrant_ 's cocky smile ever present. She hummed. "For once, you _didn't_ disappoint me, Roman." She said, strutting up to him as her glass heels clinked on the tarmac. "Perhaps you and your darling little orphan _are_ worth keeping around, after all."

He growled. " _Well_ , when I don't have to keep an eye out for everyone's favorite robo-girl and her cheerleaders, everything _does_ tend to go a little bit smoother." My eyes momentarily flicked to the Bullhead as several White Fang grunts exited.

"Don't you worry, Roman, she'll be taken care of." She took a step around us, letting her powers flare as fire erupted from her right eye and the deck turned to lava beneath her footfalls. "After all, I doubtthis… _Spartan-B312_ can contend with _me_."

The unknown man, dressed in a dark grey suit, rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, yes, we get it… You're drunk on your newfound powers and you _really_ want to use them."

She stopped in her tracks, cocky smirk dropping as she whiled around. "Do you _want_ to end up as a pile of ashes, Watts?"

"Pft, you _know_ how ill-advised that idea is." He turned to Roman. "So, you're that… _failure_ I've heard so much about? Point me to the bridge, Her Grace has requested some… _modifications_ be made."

Fire Bitch growled, but contained her anger. My eyes widened at the implication that she _wasn't_ the 'big boss'; that there was someone _above_ her. I glanced at my partner, who I could tell just by his look, had realized it too.

I heard someone clear their throat. Looking back, I saw 'Watts' looking at us expectantly.

"Oh, its just below this deck." Roman said, remembering that he'd asked for directions to the bridge. "There's a door on the right side of the superstructure that'll take ya right to it."

"Much obliged." He said, offering a slight bow as he and his pair of White Fang guards walked off.

"You two," Fire Bitch said, indicating her two peons. "take the rest of the White Fang and secure the ship. Take no prisoners."

"Yes ma'am." Street Rat said as they led the rest of the Faunus belowdecks. Moments after they disappeared, muffled gunshots reached my ears.

Her cocky smirk reasserted itself as she turned back to us. "Get in the Bullhead." She commanded. "The dust aboard that freighter is a welcome addition, but its still not enough for our plans. You'll go back to Vale and… _liberate_ the rest."

We both wanted to protest, but at this point, we didn't have much of a choice. Without further complaint, we did as we were told.

"Oh, and Roman?" She called out just as we were about to shut the door. "Do try to not disappoint me this time. After all, a certain _someone_ has joined our little entourage." She smirked. "And he is quite… _eager_ to please his queen."

* * *

/-\ Valkea Khan /-\

Lán Guānkou

* * *

I stood wide-eyed in shock at the sheer _force of nature_ I'd just witnessed. _Dust_ was supposed to be 'Nature's Wrath', and yet, that black-haired woman did things that just simply _weren't possible_. She would need more than an entire _shipping container_ of dust to do what she did!

Suddenly, I sighted a very distinctive golden stinger on the far side of the wall from my perch atop a nearby building. My heart sank when I realized it could only belong to an Ancient Deathstalker. I shook myself out of my shock from earlier; I could report it later, but only if I _survived_ to actually write the report to Sienna.

With that in mind, I reached behind me and grabbed my trusty 14mm barrel; affixing it to my old Great War-era M1493 Multigun and stowing its standard 8mm counterpart. Just as I'd replaced the ammunition, the wall was torn asunder; the Deathstalker charging through with a few lesser Grimm in tow.

I shouldered the Mantle-made rifle, placing the iron sights over one of the big one's many eyes. I knew I wouldn't be able to kill it on my own, but I could _blind_ it; hopefully so those huntresses could take it down without much trouble.

With that thought, I exhaled, gently pulling the trigger as I finished.

 **-BANG-**

The rifle kicked back with a thunderous roar, a splash of Grimmgore in the distance informing me of my hit. It let out a ear-piercing screech as it reeled from the hit, looking around for the source of its injury even as I cycled the bolt of my weapon.

 **-BANG-**

A Beowolf fell; its entire upper half reduced to dust.

 **-BANG-**

This time, I targeted a joint on one of the Deathstalker's legs. It stumbled, still disoriented from my opening attack.

 **-BANG-**

A Creep just simply _ceased_ to exist; rapidly evaporating Grimmgore being the only clue _anything_ stepped through the gaping hole in the wall.

 **-BANG-**

Another joint on yet another leg was disabled; this one on the same side as the first. Neither leg was completely blown off, a 14mm round wasn't anywhere _near_ powerful enough for that, but they _were_ bordering on non-functional. It was all the beast could do to stay upright.

As I reached for one of my two remaining 14mm clips, I laid eyes on the _massive_ Grimm horde that lay just beyond the wall. A sense of dread overtook me as I realized that I was the only one in this sector still fighting; the huntresses nowhere to be found.

As I racked the bolt of my rifle, I resolved to keep fighting; every second I spent here was likely another civilian saved. Even if this village wasn't under White Fang control, there were still Faunus here; and the Humans of this settlement weren't half-bad, either.

I took aim, but a dull roar interrupted my concentration; almost like a large Atlesian ship was barreling towards it. Moments later, several yellow streaks slammed into the Deathstalker, tearing it asunder. A _massive_ airship floated into position afterwards, two dual turrets on its underside blazing away at the horde.

A flight of Giant Nevermores in the distance screeched, angry at the loss of their cousins to the ship. They didn't last long, however, as more turrets on the dorsal hull opened fire, shredding them into a fine, black, mist.

Just as I thought it was out of tricks, swarms of smaller airships launched from the bulge on the vessel's underside like an entire hive of hornets after someone kicked their nest.

" **ATTENTION!"** A loudspeaker on the ship suddenly shouted. **"THIS IS COMMANDER WITHERSON OF THE UNITED NATIONS SPACE COMMAND VESSEL** _ **ODINSDOTTIR**_ **, WE'RE HERE TO HELP."** After a few moments, I recognized it as the strange dreadnought that turned the tide over Atlas.

The ship then descended to mere _feet_ above a clearing made by its guns, before a trio of underside panels started lowering themselves.

My mouth opened in shock as I realized just how much _firepower_ they'd put on that elevator. Three tracked _monstrosities_ the size of the average Deathstalker with a gun big enough to qualify as an artillery piece, a _dozen_ smaller cars with chainguns mounted on the back, and black-clad soldiers stuffing every space in-between.

They soon disappeared from view, the wall obscuring them from my vision. However, the sounds of weaponsfire, both high and low caliber, reached my ears. Smaller hatches opened on the vessel, which was still _well_ above the wall, and out flew many more airships.

With the fighters occupied making strafing runs at what I presumed to be targets of opportunity, the larger, bus-like airships flew to the rear of the city, where I assumed civilians would be. With the _Odinsdottir_ 's intervention, this last stand of mine became a battle; a _winnable_ battle.

With that in mind, I took my rifle and vaulted over to the wall; eager to take up an overwatch position.

* * *

Hours later, I walked the hallways of the dreadnought. The hangar bay was packed to the brim with refugees; most refusing to stay in a compromised village when such an easy escape route was right in front of them.

I'd heard there was a bar somewhere around here that gave a free drink to those who fought in the defense and, having literally nothing better to do during the journey to Vale (as I'd heard), I decided to pay it a visit.

After several minutes of asking for directions in the somewhat confusing labyrinth that was the UNSC vessel, I finally found my way to my destination. Soft music played, accenting the somber atmosphere. My entrance drew little attention, as most people were too busy tending their drinks to notice me, even if my outfit stuck out like a sore thumb in this crowd.

The only actual attention I'd gathered seemed to be from a somewhat familiar Cat Faunus clad in black armor. I couldn't place where I'd seen her before, but it probably wasn't that important. She sat with three others; the single largest woman I'd ever seen, and two black-armored soldiers, their faces hidden from view. What caught _my_ eye was a group of Faunus sitting at the bar; all wearing a blue armband emblazoned with the _old_ White Fang symbol. Naturally, my curiosity got the better of me and I sat down next to them.

After ordering my free drink, I tried to strike up a conversation with my as-of-yet silent neighbor. "So…" I started, gaining his attention. "What's with the armband?" I asked, cutting right to the chase.

He blinked. "Ah, must be from outta town, then?" I nodded. "Relax, then. We're not with the White Fang."

I raised an eyebrow. "Then why use their symbol?"

"Let me clarify, I meant we're not with the _modern_ White Fang." He said, confusing me. "The members of our local branch at the time didn't believe in Sienna's methods when she took over, so we split off. We liked _Ghira's_ way of doing things, so we stuck with 'em. We're the _Blue_ Fang, and, though our numbers are limited, we still did a lot for our community." He sighed. "Guess that won't matter much now, seeing as our home is gone…" He paused. "But enough of that; don't want to attract any more Grimm to our saviors, do we?"

After his little rant, we moved onto more enjoyable topics. Surprisingly, I found him quite amicable, only stopping our conversation when we eventually arrived in Vale.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

Beacon Academy – Airdocks

* * *

I sighed as I stepped off the Pelican, my team just behind me. We'd all changed back into the attire we'd worn during the Fall of Atlas, albeit, without our helmets. Another difference was that we each carried a piece of Yang's tarnished golden armor. Being the strongest, I had the cuirass; Weiss and Blake, between them, carried the arms and legs; Winter, only having one arm to work with, carried the helmet.

Only now that everything had calmed down did I realize just how _terrible_ our respective outfits were. Winter's Specialist uniform was practically turned black from all the soot, not to mention one sleeve being pinned to her shoulder. Blake's armor had multiple punctures in its ablative plates, making them almost useless. Yang had, evidently, dropped several of her plates somewhere along the way. Weiss's armor held many dents, scorches, scratches, and was almost as badly stained as Winter's uniform; most of her ablative plates were also absent. My own armor was basically useless by this point, I was only wearing it because that was the easiest way to transport it. I was under no illusions that it could be repaired with what I or the _Odinsdottir_ brought with us.

With each step forward, our somber procession drew more and more attention. The Atlesian students were especially interested, but no one made any moves to approach us. Many bowed their heads in respect after seeing what we were carrying; quickly putting it together that we'd lost a teammate. Other Atlesian students took out a cigarette lighter, holding it aloft as the small flame blazed. I glanced back at our team's resident Atlesians, who adorned looks of mild shock before returning to their schooled expressions.

We all carefully laid my sister's armor on her bunk; I'd construct an armor stand later. For now, I deposited my own armor onto its stand and threw on my usual sparring clothes.

"So…" Blake started as I exited the bathroom. "What were they doing with their lighters? I'm guessing it's an Atlesian thing."

My partner nodded. "Yes. It's a tradition that predates the Great War by centuries; 'Voyydslikt' in Old Atlesian, literally meaning 'Light of the Void', but can be more accurately translated to 'Light to remember those we have lost'."

Winter nodded. "Its not done lightly; _especially_ for foreigners."

"So it's essentially saying 'I'm sorry for your loss', then?" I asked, my voice still somber.

"In the most simplistic terms… _technically_." Weiss said. "It's not something that's for everyone that passes on; moreso just for heroes that died protecting others. Somewhat comparing the deceased to be a light that now only lives on in others."

I sighed. "I guess I appreciate the gesture, then." I said. "But if you don't mind me, I'd like to be alone for-"

The intercom suddenly came to life. **"Would Team RWBY and Specialist Winter Schnee report to the headmaster's office at their earliest convenience? Repeat, Team RWBY and Specialist Schnee to the headmaster's office at their earliest convenience."**

"Goddamnit, Goodwitch…" I muttered. "Alright, change in plans, then. I guess we're getting debriefed first." After Blake and Weiss changed into their regular outfits, the former deciding to forgo her bow after realizing she accidentally revealed herself earlier, all four of us headed up to the office.

Minutes later, we strode inside the glorified clock museum. I crossed my arms, appraising the three figures in front of me. Two were familiar, Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch, but the third was new. I knew who he was, I'd just never met him personally.

"General Ironwood." Winter said, tersely.

"Specialist Schnee." He responded. "Were the situation different, I'd have you court martialed." His gaze held firm for only a moment before he sighed in resignation. "But as it stands, you're the last active Atlesian Specialist outside of that nutcase over in Argus."

Her eyes widened. "W- What?" She stuttered. "But what about-"

"Gone, Schnee. All Specialist units are either MIA or KIA. Honestly, I don't know how we'd tell the difference at this point." He said, his eyes trailing down to her stump. "And it looks like you're not much better off, seeing as we've lost the capability to make _true_ limb replacements."

"Sir, I can still-"

"I don't want to hear it." He interrupted. "Besides, the next assignment I had in mind for you doesn't involve direct combat."

She motioned for him to continue, but before he could, the elevator dinged again and three more people strode out. "Sorry I'm late, I was still reviewing the lieutenant's AAR." The first, Commander Witherson, said as he idly fixed one of his gloves.

The other two locked eyes with me, both sighing in relief before the blonde rushed me, enveloping me in a hug. "Don't ever scare me like that again…" He muttered.

"Sorry dad…" I said in a small voice.

"Umm… Ruby?" I heard my uncle ask in a worried voice. "Where's Yang?" I remained silent.

"R- Ruby?" My father asked, pulling back from the hug.

My gaze fell. "She's gone." I said, the heartache evident in my voice.

Tears welled up in his eyes. "W- what?" He asked. "N- no… A- are you sure? What if- n- no it can't- no…"

While dad was muttering incoherently, trying to convince himself that his daughter was still alive, Qrow pulled me aside. "Ruby." He said, tersely. " _Who_ did this? I'll make sure they regret the day they were born." He threatened, his voice so low it could've intimidated a Goliath.

My face hardened. "It was fucking _Raven_." I said, before turning to the particularly assholish white-haired man in the corner. "Speaking of which… mind telling us just what the _hell_ is up with that bitch?"

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

"She was able to defeat _all_ of us at once." Weiss chimed in. "She seemed to have _several_ semblances; portals, weather control, cryomancy, and last but not least, _shapeshifting_."

"Don't forget that she had literal fire shooting out of her eyes." Blake remarked, dryly.

"…And she did it all without a _speck_ of dust." Winter finished. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Qrow's jaw drop.

"We _know_ you're hiding things." I said, my voice dangerously low. "I didn't trust you one _bit_ after that stunt you pulled with Yang, and, unlike you, I've been _very_ open with my team about my secrets. Now it's _your_ turn."

Ozpin, for the first time since I've met him, seemed caught off-guard. It was only momentary, but the moment existed, nonetheless. "I…" He began. "I believe that would be a conversation best suited for when Team JNPR retu-"

"Oh, no no no no no." I interrupted. "You'll be telling us _now_." I stated. "Also, speaking of Team JNPR, what the hell do you have planned for Pyrrha?"

"I don't know what you're-"

"Oh, please…" Blake said. "All of us except Winter have seen that she is your most promising 'candidate'; whatever _that_ means."

Ironwood's eyes narrowed. "Those are _classified_ docume-"

"Oh? _Classified_?" Winter shot back. "Where, oh _where_ have I heard _that_ before?" She hummed. "Could it be when you told me to abandonour entire _kingdom_ so we could save some old wand?"

"You know this is insubordin-"

"I don't understand what's so _insubordinate_ about relieving an _obviously_ incomptetant commander." She shot back. "You ordered me to leave behind _millions_ of our own people. _Explicitly_."

He clasped his hands behind his back. "You're a lieutenant colonel, Schnee." He said. "You _know_ about needing to make tough choices for the greater good."

"The _greater good_? The people _are_ the greater good!"

"ENOUGH!" Ozpin suddenly shouted, shooting up from his desk. "You're _both_ in the wrong here."

"How can she be-" Weiss started, jumping to her sister's defense.

"I said, **ENOUGH!** " He shouted, his voice gaining several layers to it. We all shut up after his little outburst and, after a few tense moments, he sat back down. "Now that I have your attention, and because you leave me no other choice, I shall explain what my colleague has clearly failed to during the invasion."

I raised an eyebrow, not thinking it would be this easy to get something out of him.

"The 'old wand' that the general ordered you to escort is far more important than you realize, Miss Schnee..." He tapped his cane against the floor twice, causing a section of wall to open. A white and gold wand slowly floated towards Ozpin's desk, its ornate prongs bathed in a shimmering golden aura.

I stepped out of its path; slightly mesmerized by the sheer _energy_ it gave off as it passed. I suddenly felt completely and utterly _refreshed_. It was like I could run to the moon and back with the sheer power it radiated. After what seemed like hours, I finally noticed Ozpin had stood back up, his hand outstretched to receive the wand.

The feeling vanished as his hands clasped the object. I still retained the energy, but the warm feeling of basking in its glow was gone.

"What… _is_ that thing?" Commander Witherson asked.

Ozpin smirked. "While you were correct that this is, indeed, 'old', Specialist, that isn't quite the _apt_ descriptor." He said. "This is none other than the Wand of Creation."

The rest of my team stared on in complete shock. I, however, only raised an eyebrow. "Feels like there's a story behind that…"

"You don't know…?" Winter asked, incredulously.

Meanwhile, Weiss pinched her nose. "Of course this Oaf doesn't. She may have been born on Remnant, but she didn't grow up here."

"Pretty much." I said. "So, what's the deal with that thing and why is it more important than a small colony's worth of people?"

"It is _not_." Ozpin stated as he glared at Ironwood. "The relic may be important, but it is not worth the millions of lives lost during the invasion. We'll be having a discussion about this later, James." He turned back to us. "Anyway, I'll give you the abridged version; I'm sure your teammates can fill you in on any details I may leave out."

He cleared his throat. "The story goes that there are two brother-gods; the older represented light while the younger presides over darkness. They fought often, eventually culminating in each making a 'champion species', so to speak. The elder amassed legions of folioid creatures, while his brother commanded the Grimm hordes. Eventually, the God of Light was victorious and, instead of gloating as his brother expected, suggested they make one last species, but _together_. Darkness, surprised by his brother's mercy, accepted, and together, they made both Humanity and Faunuskind."

"In the process, they created four relics; the embodiment of the aspects they shaped us with. Knowledge and Choice were formed from a mixture of the two's ideologies, while Creation and Destruction were the pure expressions of their essences."

Witherson cleared his throat. "Well… I would say it was quite an interesting story, and if you weren't holding that… _Wand of Creation_ over there, I'd probably just write it off as another creation myth." He sighed. "But then there's the fact that Humans have been around in _some_ form or another on Earth for millions of years. How the hell does _Remnant_ fit into this?"

"I've been trying to figure _that_ out since I got here." I said, shrugging. "But anyways, this thing is the physical embodiment of _creation_ , right?" He nodded. "Can we use it to bring Yang back?"

Almost every pair of eyes bored into Ozpin's skull with a pleading look. However, he sighed. "Unfortunately, that is a power only the gods themselves possess…" He said, his eyes glazing over for a moment. He shook his head, bringing himself out of whatever thoughts had trapped him momentarily. "However, I can at least fix _one_ thingthat went wrong on your mission."

I blinked in confusion as he raised the wand, its golden aura intensifying as he twirled it about. After it had become a miniature lighthouse, he abruptly stopped his motions; the tip pointing at Winter.

A stream of golden-white energy enveloped her, twisting and twirling around her body like a glowing ribbon. It coalesced around her stump and, slowly but surely, began to extend itself outward. First, it was only a lump; then it took on a more uniform shape until finally, it ended as a vaguely Human arm. The glow slowly faded, leaving a purely flesh and blood arm where there was none before.

Winter just simply stared at it, completely dumbfounded that she suddenly had both arms again. Slowly, she began to move the restored appendage, touching each finger to her thumb as a solitary tear rolled down her cheek.

"It… it really _is_ real, then?" She said, her voice scarcely above a whisper.

"Indeed." Ozpin said, nodding. "While its power is, frankly, _amazing_ , it does have its limits." He paused. "It cannot create intelligent creatures, it cannot bring back the dead, and most importantly, it is powered by the Waters of Creation; the source of which has been lost for many millennia, now."

"Wait… _millennia_?" Weiss asked, shocked. "And why does it need to be _powered_ by anything? It's a literal artifact of the _gods_!"

He chuckled. "That it may be, but it is _also_ just a tool; not unlike your Myrtenaster nor a blacksmith's hammer. Neither can function without their requisite materials, yet both are essential for the wielder's craft." He paused. "As for the former, how do you think there are legends of it in the first place, hmm? It may be _far_ older than the kingdoms, but keep in mind they themselves are a fairly recent addition to Remnant. After all, one does not go straight from creation to construct four nigh-impregnable citadels, now, do they?"

"Now, onto your question about Miss Branwen…" He trailed off. Ironwood gave him a questioning glance, to which he nodded. The general tapped away at his scroll while Ozpin continued. "Tell me, have any of you heard the tale of the seasons?"

Blake adorned an unamused expression. " _Another_ story?" She deadpanned.

"It's because she is very likely the Spring Maiden." Qrow suddenly said from behind us. We all turned to him, questioning gazes on our faces. "You said it yourself, Frosty-"

"Hey!"

"Like everyone else in the world, she only has _one_ semblance." He held up a finger to punctuate his statement. "The other stuff? Yeah, that's straight-up magic. And the tell? She shot _fire_ out of her eyes."

"A Maiden's calling card." Ozpin agreed.

I sighed. "Okay, so, what the hell is a 'maiden' supposed to even _be_?" I asked.

"Well… I _could_ explain it to you…" Ozpin started but was interrupted by the elevator opening. "…Or I could _show_ you." He said, gesturing to the woman that stepped out.

She strode up to General Ironwood. "Senior Airman Ironwood, reporting for duty." She said, saluting her superior.

"At ease." He said before turning to us. "Team RWBY, Specialist Schnee, meet my daughter, Chrysanthemum Ironwood; the Winter Maiden."

* * *

/-\ Penny Polendina /-\

UNSC Pelican; En Route to Beacon Academy

* * *

I felt relieved as the airship finally left the ground. It had been several hours before the 'Stormcutter' had finally left the area, though we didn't know exactly _where_ it went.

That was, however, irrelevant, as I'd finished copying my father's hard drive. Well, it had actually finished some time ago, but I'd been preoccupied with evading the Covenant Stormcutter as well as fighting off the occasional Grimm attack.

Now that we were safe in the Pelican's bay, I began to peruse its contents. Being an experimental drive, it was fairly small; only a few dozen terabytes. Much larger than a scroll, but two orders of magnitude smaller than a standard desktop-based hard drive.

Despite its size, it held quite a few valuable things. A blueprint of the Atlesian Model-14 'Speartip' air-to-air torpedo, _many_ experimental shipboard pulse laser designs, and some other smaller things. But by _far_ the most important thing was a complete schematic of _my own_ internal workings.

Sure, I knew how to make some simple field repairs, but with _this_ , I wouldn't have to worry about slowly rusting away. I was so excited at the prospect that, while I still had to be careful, I didn't have to be _so_ careful as to avoid _walking_ in the wrong way, I almost missed a text file titled 'Penny'. I had, thankfully, found it, though, and there was no doubt in my mind who wrote it.

 _Penny,_ _if you're reading this, then you did exactly as I thought you would, though I doubt I had time to tell you what that was. I really wish I could have made a video goodbye, but I had neither the time nor the space on this drive to do that. I already know I'm not making it out of here alive, there is just too much work to save._

 _I can hear them outside. The screams, the aliens' weapons blazing away. The defenses won't hold, but they will buy me enough time to write this, at least. There is so much I wanted to tell you, so many memories I wish we could share, but we have run out of time._

 _Therefore, there is one thing that you_ _ **need**_ _to know. I know you have issues thinking of yourself as a real girl, but you_ _ **are**_ _in the most literal sense of the word. You may not remember it, but there is an actual reason why you instinctively called me your father on the day of your activation._

 _You, Penny Polendina, were originally born nineteen years ago. You are not only my little mechanical wonder, but you are also my biological child. One day, you were assisting me in my lab, as you often did back then, when one of our experiments suddenly exploded._

 _One of the pieces pierced through your heart, and we were too far from a hospital for you to survive. We had also been experimenting with an aura-mapping device at the time and it happened to be laying nearby. You fell into it and by some stroke of astronomical luck, it activated._

 _By the time I'd snapped out of my stupor, you had already passed on, and I was devastated for months on end. I re-visited that old project after General Ironwood began showing a very sudden interest in the technology, and it was easily the happiest moment of my life when I found you again. Over the time I rebuilt you, I documented what took place that fateful day. If you wish to read more, it is in the same file as the rest of your schematics._

 _The defenses are almost completely overrun, so I need to wrap this up. Don't ever think that you're just some pale imitation of Humanity, because you're not. You are Penny Polendina, my living, breathing, daughter. And I love you so very_ _ **very**_ _much._

I sat in my chair completely and utterly shocked to my cores. I was almost physically unable to move, my CPUs too busy processing this new information to deliver instructions to my motor functions. Occasionally, I'd manage to steal a glance at the bodybag on the floor containing my father, but other than that, I didn't move an inch for the entire rest of the flight.

I was only barely able to move when we landed, but I did so for father. I carried him all the way to Beacon's morgue, still processing the revelation my father had given me.

After he had been laid to rest, I stepped outside, being greeted by the sun peeking out from the clouds. People mulled about the courtyard going about whatever business they had planned for the last day of spring break as Team JNPR stood by my side.

'I'm… one of them…' I thought to myself as I watched the crowd. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of snow-white hair in the distance. My eyes widened when I confirmed that it was, indeed, who I thought it was.

A moment later, and I was off, my friends shouting after me. As I got closer, I realized she looked sullen. Thankfully, I had a fix for that. She looked up just in time to be tackled hugged by me.

Objective complete.

* * *

(A/N) Yay, Penny got a hug! And bonus, so did Weiss! See, win-win. Everything is now fine and nothing bad ever happened.

I went back and forth for quite a while on having Qrow realize that neither Yang nor Summer are dead, but ultimately decided against it. Mainly because it tended to derail the obligatory 'oh gods exist, btw' conversation that every RWBY fic starting pre-volume 4 or 5 needs to have. I didn't feel like re-explaining the Maidens, so I just had Chrysanthemum do it offscreen. You all know about them, it doesn't need to be written.

Also, Winter suddenly has both arms again! Woot! _Good_ things are happening again!

I constantly complain about how hard it is to write emotional shit, but, funnily enough, Geppetto's letter to Penny was _actually_ the easiest scene in this entire chapter to write. Seriously, it only took like an hour. I have absolutely no idea why.

But anyways, that's all I had for the A/N this chapter, so onto the 2,700-word-long review responses! Good god, its getting out of control…

 **Dovah117 said – "Raven got REALLY lucky that Ruby was blinded by rage and vengance, because if she stayed cool headed, she would be dead, yes maybe with her Maiden's powers she would defend herself but still Ruby would kick her ass HARD, and finally we get a glimse of Draco's Reaper! And Yang is in the Chryozone of the Spirit of Fire!? Moma Rose is coming home! Can also give a hug to Penny? I think she needs one, and who is gonna be the new Fall Maiden? Ruby?.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Now that would be awesome and OP as hell!"**

She did, indeed, get lucky, but I don't think Ruby would beat Raven in a straight-up fight when Maiden Powers are accounted for. The main reason why she was getting her shit kicked in for a bit there is because it wa against people who could coordinate without her overhearing anything. That said, Ruby would come DAMN close to being able to beat a Maiden, given that she's easily the most powerful non-magical person on Remnant.

Yep, she's on the Spirit right now.

I'm probably going to stick with Pyrrha, as Ozzie still doesn't trust Ruby. But yeah, Maiden Ruby would be OP as HELL.

 **Krypto-Saiyan Primal65 said – "You know, do you think that the Ozluminati, Salem's Cult And Raven's bandit village would do a truce so all Can join forces against the Covenant? By extension the Flood? I mean by words of Rtas Vadum ("A single spore Can wipe out a spieces") I mean I doubt that the Flood could infect the Grimm, and I would be glad that way.**

 **But they can infect Salem, it doesn't matter if she has immortality of regeneration, if she's infected they would do an inmortal Proto-Gravemind, that alone is scary as hell.**

 **I would love to see more Karma on the inremediable RWBY Villians like Adam realizing that the Covenant won't spare neither Faunus and gets stabbed by a Elite Zealot (Bounus point if the Elite says "Wort, Wort, Wort!") And Cinder gets killed by a glassing of a Crusier (I know that's overkill but come on she deserves it)**

 **I cannot Wait for more interactions between Ruby and Raven, it would be nice if Ruby deconstructs the "Strong lives and the weak dies" mindset of the bird mom...Uh...step-mom. And even with Maiden Powers Ruby kick her ass so hard.**

 **And would be seeing some Forerunner technology and IAs? It would be cool to have a monitor on the team RWWBY, along side an Enginer.**

 **So, this was Krypto Saiyan Primal, saying goodbye, see ya!"**

If the Flood were involved… _maybe_. I mean, Ozzie and Salem hate eachother _period_. No 'if's, 'and's, or 'but's; and Salem isn't exactly too fond of Humanity as it is, so why should _she_ care if something comes along and wipes them out?

Its even scarier since that would now make a _magic_ immortal proto-gravemind; and, since its _immortal_ , it's GUARANTEED to become a fully-fledged Gravemind with a capital 'G'.

They shall reap what they sow… eventually…

Don't worry, they'll meet again. In the words of Zehoverseer, they're in an anime.

 **Osterreicher97 said – "Hmmm... so did Yang just end up on the Spirit of Fire while it was in drift or something? ASH isn't that far ahead yet as I recall, so I'm assuming that we won't hear of Yang for awhile until ASH catches up. Unless, something else is going on here?**

 **I'm probably getting my stories and details mixed up..."**

Yep, and you're right; this story is slightly ahead of ASH atm. Yang will show up at the end of either this coming chapter or the next one.

 **Joeyginise said – "*gasps* Yang is on the Spirit of Fire! Red team is going to be on remnant! More Spartans! Summer gets to meet Spartan Ruby! I'm so excited! And finally, someone had the balls to make Yang say that Raven will never be her mother. Good on you, buddy! Oh and, I am very disappointed that Raven didn't walk away from that fight with a shattered jaw. Cause Ruby is supposed to be Hyper lethal level of Spartan strong. And arguably Chief is one of the few who could keep up with her. So I find it a tiny bit of RWBY BS that Aura saved her from that much pain. Also her sword should not have been able to disable her Armor like that, I mean Spartan Armor is borderline indestructible. Sorry I just hate Raven as a character, her world view is disgusting."**

Yep, yep, yep, and yeeeep! I'm kinda surprised it hasn't happened sooner, tbh. People with actual abandonment issues would NEVER call Raven their mom if they were in Yang's shoes.

That was in the original draft, but I wanted her to talk a little at the end there, so I had to downgrade it to a glancing blow that knocked out a tooth. A good hit would, beyond ANY shadow of a doubt, shatter (or possibly outright REMOVE) her jaw.

I know it's supposed to be strong, but in the Cinder vs Raven fight, she was effortlessly cleaving through entire METERS of rock, so it being able to damage the armor over time isn't too farfetched.

I see her like how canon Yang says her dad described her "troubled and complicated". Yes, her worldview is absolutely atrocious, but imo it's a symptom of the untreated abuse she likely suffered while being raised in a bandit camp. Doesn't mean it wasn't fun writing a fight where Team RWWB_ beats on her for the first half, though.

 **Guest002 said – "Will Spirit arrive soon, cause they are the only UNSC ship with the facilities to repair a Spartan's Armor!? Will Ruby get her Sniper Scythe Soon!?"**

I have plans for her to get a scythe, but it won't be her classic Crescent Rose. This Ruby would never build that because its mechanical complexity would make it an absolute nightmare to deal with in the field if you didn't have a Cult Mechanicus-level dedication to maintaining it like Canon Ruby does.

 **Icy Doom said – "Which year is this set in?"**

That... is a very complicated question with many correct answers.

Ruby thinks it's January 2553, the Odinsdottir thinks it's September 2552.

The Penny and Neo scenes take place on different days from the Raven confrontation and Ozpin's scene (March 20th).

All of this will be clarified when I release the V2 timeline after the finale.

 **Brawlingbard said – "Thinks Raven killed Yang**

 **Raven escapes alive?**

 **Does not compute."**

That's only because a lucky swipe disabled her armor and she didn't have enough aura to escape it. Plus, Raven's bird form helps.

 **Shadow Walker of Fire said – "Great chapter. Yang is MIA, does that mean the Spirit will show up within a few chapters? Also does Summer's cryo pod say 'Sgt. J. Forge' on it or something else?"**

Can't confirm or deny the first part, but she's not in Forge's pod, as that's in cryobay 3 whereas she's in cryobay 4.

 **Wolffrang said – "That was a fair battle between Ruby and Raven it show's that Raven can go toe to toe with a spartan however if multiple spartan's engaged her she would be overwhelmed quickly,also Raven made the mistake of not finishing ruby off because now she knows how raven fights and will upgrade her armor to withstand raven's attacks.**

 **P.S. I kinda hope that the UNSC militarizes beacon and makes sure there's no terrorist sneaking in (looking at fire cunt Handicap man and Mommys girl.)"**

Completely correct. If Ruby in her repaired (not even upgraded) armor showed up with, say, Red Team in tow, it would be absolutely _everything_ Raven could do to just simply _survive_. And even that's not guaranteed. Indeed it was a mistake, but she'd just been injured and thus, made a split-second decision to run and fight another day.

I've got some ideas floating around… -quickly shoos away Falcon-

 **Mid Level Fighter said - Saw the new chapter after work and actually squeed.**

 **Love the opening with Neo. Well, I love anything with Neo...**

 **As for Penny, im looking forward to finding out what her dad died to protect. Seems macguffin-y amd I love that idea. Also, what is your idea of her processing speed? A pause of a thousand cycles is next to nothing for a UNSC AI, and even less for a Forerunner system. My personal thoughts are somewhere around an Exahertz for her speed, but thats based of ONI Project Black Box.**

 **Raven... Raven... Raven... When will she learn that ALIENS means she shouldnt be fighting her own kind? And sending her own daughter through a portal to no destination? (Loved that scene, but the trauma our poor Spartan will suffer. Losing a third sister...) And she allways runs.**

 **Great chapter, cant wait for the epic convergence of storylines"**

I've already dropped a very subtle hint as to what's in that HDD; keep in mind what she said about red-lining her systems. Given Remnant's slight technological inferiority (relative to the UNSC's computing power, at least), I'd say somewhere in the 10 to 100 terahertz range. But that's kindof a misnomer, as in my mind, Penny's "Consciousness" takes thousands of cycles to compute a single 'tick', meaning her actual reaction time would be somewhere in the megahertz range. Much, MUCH faster than a Human's (ironically on the same scale as our modern-day PLCs), but it's like a severely asthmatic obese child in the face of a Spartan when compared to their other computers.

Glad you enjoyed it!

 **CreeperslayerL421 said – "Comments for Ch. 20:**

 **Roman... that scumbag schweinehund! I'd really love to slice his ass into salami if I were a character in this fic...**

 **Note on Neo's name: It's "Neo Politan," apparently. Don't ask me, I didn't make this up.**

 **I just hope the reunion isn't too awkward for Yang... given that you can't wear clothes or bandages in cryotubes...**

 **Let me guess... the red skull emblem is a nod to Gears of War?**

 **-CreeperSlayerL421"**

When I was writing him in that scene, I pretty much thought to myself 'what was the most antagonistic and assholish thing someone could say?' and mocking someone's dead kids was pretty high on that list.

I know… I just like Neopolitan better than Neo Politan. To-may-to; to-mah-to situation, but whatever.

…Shit, forgot about that… Welp, guess Yang gets to see her mom naked for a bit… -insert sarcastic yay here-

Nope; just didn't feel like going the classic 'skull and crossbones' route. But, honestly, the Gears skull would be pretty cool there.

 **Red October 700 said – "*looks at the cheese grater* I can oneup this one. So let that thing sit outside for say a month. Let it get nice and rusty. Waht we are going to do is pin him with a forklift, and I am going to cut hsi tendions with a clever ( I am head of hte Cleaver Brotherhood. So a cleaver is a must ) then you can shove that grader right whare the sun dont shine. Then we cut is heart out with a dull rusted spoon. * Starts laughing like an insane person***

 **I think I just went pshyo. Is that normal? Oh well.**

 **And you sir, I need to shake you hand. We may bo of opisite ships yet we can have s civil conversation. It could just be me seeing the worst side of the fandom, but you have restored some of my faith in this comunity. So thanks.**

 **Now to the review!**

 **Glad to see Penny get some closer. Neo and Roman are now with Atlas ships that were deserters? Hmmmm lets see whare this goes.**

 **Aaaand Raven. *Sigh* You know its sad to think she would do that to her own daughter. Hell even her teammates daughter. She thinks she is hot stuff hugh? Oh Summer would not be pleased with her. And if I am going to be honest I still think Ruby would still kick Ravens ass. She just got a Lucky shot in.**

 **Now lets see Yang. I can presume that she in on the Spiret of Fire after Halo Wars campin and its drifting. So Yang is going to need to talk to the AI if she is still active. So the question is, when is she going to get back? A good quistion to be answerd next chapter."**

Yeah, you did go a bit psycho, but eh, that's alright. It's Adam we're talking about.

It's kinda sad that being civil to a fellow Human being warrants a thank you in this day and age, isn't it? I don't delve too deep into the RWBY fandom (mainly sticking to FFN, SB, and the subs), but if it's as toxic as the memes make it out to be, I think I'll stick to the surface-level stuff.

I didn't name the ship during the battle, but that particular vessel was actually the battlecarrier that limped away after the first battle over Atlas.

Most people seem to agree with you that Ruby should've won that fight, but I honestly don't think so; not with Raven's supreme bullshit that is the Maiden Powers. Add in the fact that Ruby's armor hasn't been properly serviced since before Reach fell and her lack of proper high-quality melee weapons, and you have a victorious Raven.

Yang is, indeed, on the Spirit of Fire atm. She won't be back for a few chapters, but she'll certainly be back in time for the Volume Finale.

 **CreeperslayerL421 said – "In the omake, the "gods" mentioned in the story Selini read... I have a feeling they might be either Forerunner or Covenant, likely the latter."**

Good guess, but no. Maybe try going further afield; see if you can get any more hints that way, can you?

3c65313c66313c59313c59313c55313c58313c5b313c6b4b313c6b5b313c58313e5a313c5f

I dunno, maybe that makes everything a single hint too high? But what I DO know, is that I spent waaaay too long actually making this cypher (even if it is extremely basic), so good luck!

 **FlawlessCowboy2552 said – "So there are a couple of issues I have with the plot so far.**

 **First and one of the biggest I have is Ruby having Aura as a Spartan. The problem is that with how desparate the UNSC (and to a greater extent ONI) is for any advantage, they would see that Aura as something to be researched and replicated at all costs, even if it kills Ruby in the process. As such it makes no sense to me that She would have been put through the augmentation process and not syphoned out to some R &D facility to be disected.**

 **My second issue has to do with Ruby's interactions with Alice and the nature of Ruby's Armor. Basically, Ruby shouldn't have been able to utilize Alice in the same way that the Master Chief uses Cortana. The reason for this is that noble team did not have Mark 5 armor systems due to financial constraints. Instead they were given old Mark 4 suits that were retro fitted for energy shields. The crystal layer that allowed Cortana to function in the chiefs suit was a special addition to just his mark 5 suit and wasn't even standardized until the mark 6.**

 **In other words, Ruby's suit shouldn't have even had the ability to run the AI.**

If her aura was unlocked before she'd gotten augmentations, I'd agree with you. Some random five-year-old showing up with soul magic? Yeah, she's getting dissected.

I don't remember if I'd stated by chapter 15 that her aura was unlocked during Operation: TORPEDO, but that's what happened; she was under immense stress and that's what did it, kind of similar to how Ren got his unlocked. She then proceeded to kick covvie ass at Draco III and demonstrated how valuable she became as a combat-ready asset. Couple that with the now extremely limited number of trained Spartan-III commandos, and that's why she wasn't just straight-up dissected. She was, however, studied. Just not invasively enough to render her combat ineffective.

One more thing before I move on to the last point: I know canon Noble Six didn't go on Operation: TORPEDO. I didn't want her to be a carbon copy of canon B312, so I made her pre-aura combat ability just SLIGHTLY too low to get out of it.

I agree that I handwaved her armor being able to support an AI, but the situation somewhat required it. Also, after doing a little digging, I found that Noble Team did, indeed, use Mark V armor; only Carter and Emile's entries on Halopedia not explicitly stating their base armors were of that model.

* * *

Anyways, that's all for now. Another WIP title for the next chapter, though. Right now, I have it as "Stories Scattered Through Time", but that may change between now and its release time. And remember, I'll be finishing ASH before updating this one again, so it might be a while.


	22. Winds of Change

(A/N) I'm back! New year, new chapter!

Let's hope _that_ pattern doesn't hold, but anyways, ASH is done and now I can work on this fic without worrying about the whole timey-wimey shit getting messed up.

Fair warning, though, this chapter may make you a bit angry.

Enjoy :)

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Six – Winds of Change

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

"Lieutenant," Commander Witherson addressed as we exited Ozpin's office. "come with me." He ordered.

I glanced at the remainder of my exhausted team. "Go back to the room, I'll catch up." They hesitated, but Weiss nodded, turning away and leading Blake and Winter to our room. I followed the Commander to a Pelican which deposited us in the _Odinsdottir_ 's hangar. A few minutes later and we found ourselves in a conference room occupied by a single other person, the all-seeing eye of ONI emblazoned on the shoulder of his black trenchcoat.

I snapped a salute. It was always good to play to the ego of a spook; you never know if it could save your ass sometime. He nodded. "Lieutenant." The man addressed in a British accent. "Major Foley, Section One." I nodded, recognizing him as part of the intelligence-gathering branch of ONI; the same as I was. "So, we've found ourselves in quite the difficult situation. You see, this is, for all intents and purposes, a first contact scenario, except it's not. We find ourselves in need of every scrap of data on these… _Remnans_ we can possibly get our hands on, and yet, there are no agents available to me. Except you, of course."

"I believe I can help you with that, sir." I said. "As is standard protocol, I've been compiling reports on my findings over my last few months here. I've written twenty-three reports about everything that's common knowledge here. They're hidden in the wall at a secure location."

He nodded. "When we're done here, I'll send a pair of ONISEC Marines to collect them. Your efforts are very much appreciated."

"And that brings us to the _other_ thing we called you here for." Witherson said. "We've both reviewed your AARs, the one for Operation: BLOOD MOON as well as your perspective from Reach. You've done well."

"We _also_ find ourselves in need of a liaison to Beacon Academy, but a _Lieutenant_ just wouldn't do, would it?" Foley smirked. "Thus, we will be giving you a field promotion to Lieutenant Commander, on the condition you become that liaison, of course."

I nodded. "I'd be happy to, sir."

"That's what I like to hear." Witherson said before handing me a datapad. "We'll send you your assignments through this. I want weekly updates on the situation."

"And _I_ want a list of any intelligence-related contacts you've made during your stay here."

"Your first assignment will be to fulfil one of our obligations to the Headmaster here; he's asked for our best to teach his students how to fight the Covenant. You'll be assisted by an Atlesian Specialist by the name of Winter Schnee; I believe you two have been introduced."

"You can say that…" I said before nodding. "I can handle it, sir."

"Good." Witherson said. "Dismissed, Lieutenant Commander."

I saluted, turned around, and exited the room.

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\

* * *

I sighed as I lay on my bed, staring up at Ruby's bunk above me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my teammate's ear flick. I rolled over, looking at her just sitting next to my bed. "You know, you don't have to sit on the floor." I said.

"Mhmm." She hummed, turning a page of her book.

"…Thanks…"

"Mmm…"

I just stared at her for a moment, watching her calmly read. "I just… don't understand how you can be so calm…"

She turned the page. "Weiss, _you're_ probably handling this better than I am." She sighed, putting the book down. "I'm just curling up on the floor with my novels; running like I always do."

I rolled over, now facing the wall. "But you're still doing what you love. I'm just… _laying_ here."

"So don't."

"But what else _could_ I do?"

She hummed. "Go for a walk, maybe? Couldn't hurt."

My mouth opened, then clicked shut; I didn't have a _real_ reason not to, and I knew it. "I just… I don't know…"

"Hmm?"

I rolled over again, meeting my eyes meeting both hers and her raised eyebrow. "Ugh, fine." I finally relented, getting up and walking to the closet. I didn't really feel like changing out of my sweatpants; they were comfy, and I couldn't care less what the others thought about me at the moment; that also meant my heels were out.

As I was grabbing my tennis shoes, my fingers brushed against the white cloak that had concealed me back on Menagerie. I sighed; I knew I'd never live down that night, and the memory of all the… _blood_ just got clearer and gorier as time went on. I glanced at the row of immaculate outfits I usually wore; the look of the girl who had to be perfect to _appease_ her father.

I'd never be her again, would I?

Making my decision, I grabbed the cloak and threw it over my shoulders. It was warmer than I remembered and strangely comfortable. I headed for the door, glancing back at Blake. "When Winter finally gets out of the shower, tell her I went for a walk."

She hummed in affirmation, already nose-deep in her book when the door flew open. In strode Ruby, an angry frown on her face. She climbed up onto her bunk and groaned. "Fucking Ozpin…" She muttered.

"Please, _please_ don't tell me bad things are happening again…" I said, pinching my nose.

"Fine, I won't tell you." She muttered, her voice slightly muffled by a pillow.

I sighed. "That was rhetorical. What _fun_ thing do we have to look forward to now?"

She stayed silent for a minute. "…Yang's being replaced."

I stood shock still. "… _What_?" I asked, my voice dangerously low.

She sat up, arms crossed. "I knew he'd do that, but I didn't think it'd be literally _the day_ she died!"

"I can't believe this." Blake said. "First, he hides all the details about the maidens, then he tries to drag my _partner_ into spying on her sister, and _now_ he's _replacing_ her?!"

"After all we went through together…" I let out. "She's just getting _replaced_?!"

My partner sighed. "He was going to _have_ to replace her at some point. Teams of three aren't allowed, and I sure as _hell_ wasn't gonna let us get split up." She growled. "I just thought he'd have the _decency_ to wait a week or two." She chuckled darkly. "But hey, what's one more pile of shit shoveled into our faces, right? Why the fuck not?"

I rubbed my temples in agitation. "I'm going for a walk." I announced before leaving the dorm. A few minutes later and I stepped onto the roof, a gentle breeze blowing through my let-down hair. I sighed, leaning against the building. I gazed at the shattered moon above us. "I wonder what's up there…" I muttered. "I suppose it can't be any worse than what's beyond it…"

I tugged at my cloak, realizing just how _right_ I was about not being the same girl that stepped off the airship four months ago. I smiled. 'Good,' I thought. 'I was a spoiled brat back then, anyways.'

My eyes trailed down to Vale, and the UNSC frigate hovering above it like a silent guardian. My lips pursed in uncertainty. '…Maybe its time for a change…' I thought. After mulling it over for a second, I nodded and jumped off the roof, sliding down the shingles onto the ground. First stop was the bunker to get some Lien, then I'd go to the city.

After all, what was a better way to show the world I'd changed than getting new combat clothes?

* * *

I fidgeted as I exited the airship, having spent a little more than I was hoping. However, that was only somewhat at the forefront of my mind. While I was shopping, my mind drifted back to Yang. While she was the shyest of dolts at the best of times, I will admit that she grew on me.

I sighed, readjusting the duffel bag on my back full of my new clothes, idly noting a Pelican taking off nearby. I squinted as the sun peaked out from the clouds. 'Ugh, now I know how Blake feels when she gets in one of her moods…' I thought.

Suddenly, I heard people shouting. "Huh?" I let out, looking up just in time for a green blur to tackle me to the ground. I panicked, frantically kicking and punching this _heavy_ thing that had me pinned to the ground.

"Friend-Weiss!" I heard the thing say.

I blinked, pausing mid-strike. "… _Penny_?" I grunted. "Please… get off… me…" I wheezed. Thankfully, she rolled off me as soon as the last word left my mouth, allowing me to gasp for air. And then I was suddenly on my feet again, having been jerked upright by the odd girl.

"Ohmygoshimsosorryithoughtyouweredeadandyourenotohmybrotherswherewereyou?!"

I blinked. "Umm… Valerian, please?"

"That was Valerian, Weiss my friend!" I stared at her for a moment. "Your cloak looks wonderful, by the way! When did you get it?"

"I… would prefer not to talk abou-"

"Penny!" A familiar voice interrupted. I pinched my nose when I realized it was _Arc_ of all people. "Don't run off like that! What if you-"

"Weiss!"

"OOF!" And suddenly I was on the floor again. This time, however, I rolled with the blow and threw Nora off me. Standing back up, I dusted off my cloak. "Seriously, what is it with hyperactive gingers tackling me today?"

"Well…" Pyrrha started. "we _did_ think you were dead, so…"

I blinked. "I was gone for like, two weeks…"

Arc rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, but we didn't hear from you and also your dad said you died."

"Right, how could I _possibly_ forget about that conniving little weasel?" I sighed. "I'm guessing that's the quote-unquote 'official' story he used to disinherit me?"

"Indeed." Pyrrha confirmed. "I'm guessing that isn't what _really_ happened?"

My eyelid twitched. "If it were, you would currently be conversing with a corpse."

Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "…Right…"

I crossed my arms. "The abridged version is that he left my sister and I to die while he fled via a secret tunnel, then disinherited me because I not only found it, but also came home wearing armor."

"Geez, that is _low_." Nora commented before taking out her Magnhild. "So, when're we breaking his legs?" She asked, not a question of _if_ , but _when_.

A faint smirk tugged at my lips, but I suppressed it. "As much as I'd like to shatter them into a million pieces, take the SDC back, and throw the golden bust of himself he keeps in the garden off a cliff, there are more important things to worry about." She let out a disappointed whine as her hammer drooped to the ground.

Suddenly, Pyrrha blinked. "Wait, if you're back, does that mean the rest of Team RWBY is here too?"

My shoulders sagged. "…Not all of us…"

Their eyes widened, catching my implication. "Please tell me you're not the only one…" Arc practically begged.

"No. We… we only lost Yang." My head drooped at my wording. " _Only_." They all stood shock still, not knowing how to respond. I picked up my bag after a few moments. "Look, I… I would just like to go back to my dorm now. Gods, I'm tired."

Pyrrha solemnly nodded. "Take care, Weiss."

* * *

/-\ Valkea Khan /-\

* * *

I swallowed a lump in my throat as the elevator dinged, the fear that I'd already been discovered ever present as I strode inside. "You… wanted to see me, sir?" I asked, standing at attention as part of my act as an Atlesian student.

Ozpin nodded. "Not to worry, I didn't call you here to punish you." He motioned to a chair next to me. "Please, have a seat." I did so. "There has been a small misfiling; unsurprising given the circumstances. The first matter that needs addressing is which team you'll be on, so I must ask, did any of your teammates… _arrive_ at Beacon?"

I shook my head, having not been contacted yet by any of my brothers or sisters in the White Fang. "I was a lone wolf."

He hummed. "A sensible choice for a markswoman such as yourself, however, the invasion has created too many lone wolves already and as such, you'll be assigned a team." He paused, typing something on his computer. "There is only one team which I feel can make use of someone of your talents, and, unfortunately, they have… _lost_ a member in the confusion. I believe you have already met them."

I blinked. "Another Atlesian team?" I asked, trying to maintain my cover but _very_ nervous I was right.

He shook his head. "Oh no, Team RWBY is based here." He chuckled. "They're not the most… _conventional_ of huntress teams, but that is likely because of their rather varied backgrounds. And with that, I must return to my duties; we will continue the necessary paperwork at a later date. They have already been notified and I've sent the relevant details to your scroll."

I paused in confusion for a few moments before getting up and heading towards the elevator. "Thank you, headmaster."

"Oh, one more thing, Miss Smith." He smirked. "Try not to judge Miss Belladonna for her past, we _all_ make mistakes, after all."

"Umm, yes sir?" I half-asked, wondering if he was always like this, before returning to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, I let out a sigh of relief; he hadn't discovered me. After the feeling wore off, I pulled out my scroll, exiting the elevator as I looked up where I was supposed to be going in the first place.

Ten minutes later and I stood in front of my destination; room 312 of dormitory B. I lightly knocked at the door, still trying to think of how I would conceal my identity from them. After an agonizingly long minute, the door opened, revealing a tired-looking Cat Faunus. I got the impression that I'd seen her before, but I couldn't place from where.

She glanced behind her, moving aside. "Ruby."

I entered the room, immediately met with the tall woman from the ship. "So you're our new member." She said, eyes appraising me.

"I just found out a few minutes ago." I said, shrugging.

The Faunus hummed, grabbing a book. "I'll be in the library." She said before disappearing down the hall.

I raised an eyebrow. "What's up with her?"

She shrugged. "Don't take it personally, she just doesn't want anyone to fill the shoes you're stepping into. Hell, _none_ of us do, but it was either get a replacement or get split up as a scratch team." She sighed. "I've beenin your position, so I'll give you a chance, but don't expect the other two to be very friendly at first. Especially if you keep wearing that mask everywhere."

"My face isn't exactly the easiest to look at anymore." I said, raising a hand to my red bandana.

"Heh, welcome to the club." She said, lifting her sleeve and exposing a multitude of old scars. Some were orderly, shaped like a circuitboard; others were haphazardly strewn about the appendage, and my experience in the White Fang told me they were from a combination of grievous burns and bullets. "They'll understand if that's your reason." She said, lowering her sleeve back down.

A somewhat awkward silence settled over us as she went back to working on something at her desk. I rocked back and forth on my heels nervously. "So…" I started. "Where should I set my backpack?" I asked, unslinging it from my back.

"Anywhere's fine for now." She said, returning to her work. "That was Blake, by the way; I suppose she's your new combat partner."

I rubbed my head awkwardly as I set my bag down in a corner. "I guess I should try to make nice with her, then."

"Eh, she's distant to most people; just as long as you're not actively fighting, you're probably fine. Oh, I'm Ruby, by the way."

"Valkea K- _Smith_." I said, catching myself mid-slip.

She shifted slightly but didn't stop what she was doing. "Alright, Valkea, whaddaya do?"

"I snipe." I said. "Ozpin said you're probably the only team that could make use of me."

She tisked. "He's not wrong. We do need an extreme range fighter, though…" She trailed off before grabbing a hammer and banging on her project a few times. "Aaaand finished!" She said, picking up… _something_.

"What's that?"

"Armor stand." She answered. "Knew I had to hurry this up when I found out we'd get another teammate." She put it down in a corner right next to a standing set of armor; one that was obviously hers and _very_ beat-up. "Mind handing me a few of those pieces?" She asked, pointing towards one of the top bunks.

"Sure." I shrugged, doing as I was told. A few minutes later and an equally beat-up set of golden armor now stood beside her red set.

"This was my sister's, y'know?" She asked. "She's the one you're replacing."

I grimaced. "Oh, uhh… sorry…"

She shrugged. "It's alright; I'm used to people dying." She said, her voice hollow.

Before I could respond, the bathroom door opened. I spun, instinctively reaching for a weapon, but froze when I saw who it was. Before me was a commanding figure, one I recognized from all the stories of raids gone wrong.

Winter. Fucking. Schnee.

I barely managed to shake myself out of my stupor, waving a twitching hand in greeting. "Umm, hey…"

She raised an eyebrow. "Greetings."

"Hey, Winter." Ruby said. "This is Valkea; our new number four. Valkea, this is Winter Schnee; unofficial number five."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really, now? That is a title I was unaware I possessed."

"With you being based in Beacon now and your sister already on the team, I've got a feeling we'll be working together a lot more in the future. Besides, we're both teaching these kids how to keep their pants buttoned up in the Covenant War."

"Not how I would word it, but indeed we are." She strode towards the door. "Regardless, when you see Blake next, tell her thank you for allowing me to borrow a copy of her uniform while I procure a new one."

"No problem." She said.

Winter nodded before exiting into the hallway, leaving us alone.

I stayed silent for a moment, making sure she was _well_ out of earshot. "There aren't going to be any problems between her and I, right?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow, causing me to turn my head sideways and expose the golden feathers on my throat.

"Oh, you're a Faunus." She chuckled. "Nah, Winter was fine with Blake when she found out who she was, and we already moved past that with Weiss; you're good." Suddenly, she took out her scroll, reading it for a moment. "Oh, looks like Ozpin wants to talk about the class I'm teaching. Make yourself at home, I guess. Just don't go through our stuff." She stood up, grabbing a nearby bag and headed out the door.

I sighed as she left, wondering just what the hell I've gotten myself into.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I looked to my left, seeing my new co-professor flex her fingers experimentally. "Still getting used to having both arms?"

"I half-expected to wake up on the ship this morning." Winter sighed. "I went from accepting that I would have to deal with only one arm for the rest of my life to just… having both again. Yes, it will take some adjusting."

"Well, one step at a time, Wyn." Her eyelid twitched. "So, got any idea what you'll be covering?"

"I'm content to allow you to run the class today." She replied.

"Heh, I'll take that as a no, then." She rolled her eyes but regained her composure upon seeing a few students filter into the classroom. I smiled when I saw that the first ones here were the rest of Team RWBY. Well, Weiss, Blake, and Valkea.

'Come to think of it, what's our new team name?' I wondered as we waited for the rest of the students. A minute later and they were all seated. Most of them looked extremely confused, some even looking at the door expectantly. Just before the bell rang, Ozpin entered the room and quietly took a seat at the back.

"So!" I clapped my hands behind my back. "Most of you are probably wondering where the professor for this class is."

"Look no further, for we are they." Winter continued. "Welcome to Counter-Covenant Operations 101."

"People who know me outside of class can still call me Ruby, but _in_ here, I expect to be addressed as Lieutenant Commander Rose, Ma'am, or Spartan."

"And _I_ expect to be referred to as Lieutenant Colonel Schnee, Ma'am, or Specialist."

"Now onto the actual material. We don't have a syllabus yet, because everyone thought we were dead until yesterday," A few students gasped. "but we're working on it." I strode over to the desk in the corner of the room, pulling out my broken helmet and hooking it up to a projector. "So for today, I thought we'd go over the absolute _basics_ of fighting the Covenant."

I nodded to Winter, who shut off the lights with a propulsion glyph on the light switch.

"Lesson one: Keep your fucking aura up at all times, even if you _think_ you're safe." I said, playing the first recording.

" **-ccording to Holland, the covvies are still hunting for something."**

 **Kat groaned. "Honestly, where does he get off on calling a demolition op Priority O-"**

Several people gasped as they watched my fellow Spartan drop dead through my eyes. I ended the recording just as we started to return fire, then turned back to the class. "That was on Reach, a couple weeks before last semester started here. Covenant were glassing the city, just like Atlas, and we were running for a fallout bunker to wait it out."

"She's right; happened to us too." An Atlesian student said, solemnly. "One second we're running to a Grimm shelter, the next, Kobalt and Ivori are gone."

"I'm sorry, for what it's worth." I said before moving onto my next point. "In the same vein, always watch your six."

 **Plasmafire covered the screen shortly before I dove into cover, only poking my head up when I heard a shotgun blast come from the MAC emplacement above us.**

" **Who's next?!" Emile shouted.**

 **Behind him, a Zealot roared, thrusting its sword through his chest before he could react.**

" **I'm ready! How 'bout you?!" The Spartan shouted, gouging out the Elite's throat before succumbing to his wounds.**

Everyone gave me a horrified look, even Winter and Ozpin. "Gotta give the man credit, though. He was one _tough_ Spartan." I said. "It also might be a good idea to avoid energy swords."

"They will cut through your aura like it wasn't even there." Winter said, glancing at her hand. "I've seen it happen before my very eyes…"

I nodded, cuing up an image of Sword Base, the first time around. I was standing on a destroyed section of the base overlooking an SDV-class bombarding the landscape. Emile just shot off a rocket a moment ago, the projectile frozen mid-flight.

"Can anyone tell me what's wrong with this picture?" Blake and Weiss shot their hands up immediately. "Sit tight you two, let someone who hasn't seen this yet give it a shot." They nodded, lowering their hands as the rest of the class stared at the screen in confusion. After a few minutes passed, I finally relented. "Alright. Miss Belladonna, what is wrong with this picture?"

"There's three cloaked Elites on the platform."

"Good. Miss Schnee, why don't you come up here and point them out."

She nodded, getting up from her seat and pointing towards each cloaked Spec Ops Elite. She then sat back down. "Let's see if you're right." I said, hitting the play button.

 **My DMR boomed, revealing one of the Elites right where Weiss said it would be. It took only moments for me to dispatch the other two. They'd since moved from where my partner pointed them out to be, but they were still close enough to where it wasn't an issue.**

"The reason I bring this up is because sometimes those cloakers can have energy swords. Look for any distortions in the air, and if you're with a Faunus who has an ear trait, they should be able to hear them faintly. Hingeheads are light on their feet, but they're still eight feet tall and several hundred pounds."

I paused, waiting for any questions. "Alright, that's a good enough segue, let's talk about each of the Covenant races and how to kill them effectively…"

* * *

/-\ Emanuel Witherson /-\

* * *

I strode out of my Pelican, my arrival coinciding with General Ironwood's. I gave him a nod of acknowledgement, which he returned as we both strode into the Vale Council building. Once inside, a pair of Valerian troopers escorted us to a small-ish conference room where three people awaited us; one man and two women. My eyes flicked to one woman's beaver tail, still not used to the whole 'Faunus' thing yet, before reverting to meet their eyes.

"Councilman Rowe," Ironwood greeted. "Councilwomen Solas and Lazu."

"A pleasure, gentlemen." Rowe said. "Your guards may wait outside." I nodded, waving my hand to send my two ODSTs on their way, joined by both the Atlesian and Valerian troopers a moment later. "My apologies there are only three of us, but as the good General is aware, Councilmen Quinn and Azure were in Atlas renegotiating a trade deal at the time of the attack."

"My sympathies, councilmen." I said.

"Thank you, please take a seat." He said. "While it is tragic, we must begin the proceedings. You have the floor, Commander."

"Thank you, Councilors. My crew and I have made the decision to stay on Remnant for the foreseeable future, but that leaves the question of where we shall base our operations. I propose that we be given the area, both land and sea, around the crash site of the UNSC vessel _Road Paved With Red_ up to a distance of ten miles. In exchange, we will offer both a military alliance as well as technical assistance in improving Valerian military equipment."

Councilwoman Lazu blinked, her tail swishing slightly behind her. "That seems to be a remarkably fair deal, Commander, considering your previous deal with Ozpin has already taken effect. I motion to accept the terms."

"Denied." Rowe said, the other woman following moments later.

I raised an eyebrow. "Might I ask why, Councilors?"

"Because doing so would be mean a golden opportunity for the both of us will be missed."

I frowned. "If you are to suggest annexation-"

"I do not, Commander." He replied, coolly. "While I have been made aware of your people's… _situation_ , I simply mean to kill two birds with one stone." He smiled. "As you well know, the city of Vale proper has become rather overpopulated as of late. If a few thousand could be given a safe and secure place elsewhere to thrive, it would be better for all of us."

"That makes sense, what is your actual proposal?"

He clasped his hands together. "I propose we give the option to settle in your new territory to some of the… _less fortunate_ Atlesians who have come here."

I hummed. "While the idea does have some merit, I'm afraid we can't provide for that many people during the initial setup phase."

"Oh, that will not be a problem. The Valerian Frontiers Association, a council-sponsored organization, oversees all the logistical needs of settlement construction. We're merely asking you to provide protection once the initial phase is over."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what about _after_ the settlements are constructed? Will they be Valerian exclaves within UNSC territory, or will the land still be ours? That also brings up the question of foreign nationals on our soil."

He smiled. "Ah, there seems to be a miscommunication, Commander. I fully intend for them to become your citizens and your settlements after they are completed."

Ironwood cleared his throat. "Don't I get a say in that? They're _Atlesian_ citizens, after all."

"With all due respect, General, Atlas does not exist anymore." Councilwoman Solas said, finally speaking up.

His fist clenched and it looked like he was about to verbally bite her head off, but after a deep breath, he relaxed in his chair once more. "…Carry on…" He said, resigned.

"Before I make a decision, I would like to discuss it with my subordinates. Can you please have it written down by the time I leave?"

"Of course, Commander. We wouldn't want to make any impulsive decisions; take as much time as you need. We will move onto the General's proposal." Rowe said. "Actually, seeing as the region now has significance beyond 'a forest in the Bar province', I think we will need a proper name for it. Do you have any ideas?"

I thought for a moment, putting my living hand up to my chin. After a small amount of deliberation, a smile crossed my face. "Reavia."

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

"You called for me, Headmaster?" I asked, striding into his office.

"Yes. Have a seat, Miss Rose." He smirked. "Or should I call you Lieutenant Commander?"

I shrugged, taking one of the two seats in front of his desk. "Either is fine. I just wanted the students to take me seriously."

"Well, I imagine that won't be an issue after the rather _extensive_ knowledge you displayed on Covenant anatomy. Or rather, Covenant _evisceration_."

"I mean, it isn't any different from Port teaching us how to kill Grimm, is it?"

"Indeed it is not, I was merely pointing out the fact that you seem to have a talent for it. Please do refrain from being _too_ violent in the future, though, we wouldn't want the students to attract any Grimm with their shock."

"I left out the more gory parts." I said.

He chuckled. "Not even _my_ morbid curiosity is enough to ask you to elaborate on that subject."

"Well, you do have something that's piqued _my_ curiosity." I said. "Why did you replace Yang so early?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Not the question I would've expected, though I imagine now that you know _why_ I've replaced her in the first place." I nodded. "Good. The answer to your actual question, however, is quite simple. Miss Smith is a… _delicate_ situation, and I fully believe your team is the only one capable of handling her should things go awry."

I crossed my arms. "And what do you _think_ is going to happen?"

"I believe things will turn out for the best, especially with your team composition. With your background, I am certain that you've picked up on some… _oddities_ with her behavior." Suddenly, the elevator behind us dinged. "Ah, Miss Nikos. Have a seat."

"I'm guessing you _didn't_ call me up to talk about my first class, then." Instantly switching the subject once we were no longer alone.

"Indeed not, Miss Rose. Though it is a subject I will more than happily discuss, we have more pressing matters at this time." He paused. "I will cut to the chase, however. Do you know of the Maidens, Miss Nikos?"

She blinked. "…I'm sorry?"

"The Maidens; the heroines from the Story of the Seasons."

"Oh. Umm… yes, I am familiar with them, but what does this have to do with… well, anything?"

He nodded. "Very well, we shall explain on the way."

"Where are we going?" I asked.

He didn't look back as he strode towards the elevator, us in tow. "You may have been informed of the Maidens' existence, and even how new ones are born, Miss Rose, but you are not aware of our current… _predicament_. Come, our colleagues await us in the vault."

* * *

(A/N) And it looks like Ozzie's moving his own plans forward, along with a few new minor characters putting their pieces on the board. And to preempt people who may ask "Why is Ozpin suddenly including Ruby in the Maiden talks?" it's because he's realized that keeping secrets from her is kinda like pissing in the wind; useless, counterproductive, and makes a mess.

A lot of people are probably going to have a problem with me putting Valkea on Team RWBY, but honestly, I think that's what Oz would do in this situation. Also, if you have any suggestions for their new team name, I'd like to hear it. I came up with RWVB (Groovy), but I feel like there's gotta be some better combo out there.

Anyways, I'm somewhat changing how the review responses work from here on out. Basically, I'll only put the guest reviews down here now since I actually can't respond to them any other way. I'm doing this because there are _so_ many reviews to get to that I just don't want to pad out the word count by responding to so many down here. Unless people want me to keep doing it. I'm completely okay with that, I just don't want you guys to go "holy shit, a 12k word chapter!" only to find out that 6k is just review responses. A bit hyperbolic, but the point stands. Anyways, let's get to it!

 **Guest 001 said – "You answered my question about her Scythe, but not her armor! Will you fix it with the wand of Creation!?"**

Nope. I forgot to mention that the wand can only affect biological beings. Interesting thought spiral: would it be able to touch a Huragok?

 **Guest 002 said – "What UNSC aircraft was that!?**

During the evacuation of the city, the ones Valkea describes as 'fighters' are Hornets, whereas the 'bus-like' ones are a combination of Albatrosses (Albatrosi?) and Pelicans.

 **Guest 003 said – "The UNSC AIRSHIP THAT TOOK OUT THE DEATHStalker, what vehicle was it!?"**

Ah, that one. That was the UNSC _Odinsdottir_ using its point defense guns. If you're wondering which class of ship that was, it was a Charon-class light frigate.

 **Guest 004 said – "Who is the "nutcase" that Ironwood was referring too!?"**

Cordovin. You can't tell me a special operative is required to guard that place when they have a Jaeger on duty, hence, even _Ironwood_ thinks she's a nutcase.

 **Guest 005 said – "How does Team RWBY know that Ozpin has something planned for Pyhrra!?"**

Because Ruby broke into his office early on and read through his files like the good little ONI operative she is.

 **Guest 006 said – "What does "folioid" mean!?"**

That was me being a wordsmith. It comes from the word "foliage", which refers to a plant's leaves. So yeah, sentient (probably not sapient, though) plants fighting Grimm. I thought it was cool.

 **Wolfgang said – "Gentlemen (puts his arms over Greentheryno and Red October's necks) why settle for a meat cleaver or cheese grater when you can go all out! (gesture's towards a sickle,crowbar,chainsaw, various surgical tools Electric chair Brass knuckles Etc). Remember those fic's I recommend to you what did you think of them when you were reading them and did it give you ideas for this fic,for me they were quite decent.**

 **And finally this fic is getting more intense by every chapter and i can't wait for the next one keep up the good work."**

Sorry to keep you waiting so long, but yeah, I don't remember what fics you were talking about anymore. Sorry.

 **Firewyrm said – "I'm pretty sure now that the relics in this story can be explained as highly advanced technology. I have no explanation for the maidens and magic, but it is possible for them to be technology based, remember that the Precursors are advanced enough to create life so who knows what else their technology is capable of (I also theorize that the relics may be connected to the Mantle of Leadership). Honestly, I also feel that Halo and magic shouldn't mix sense Halo has the third most advanced technology (after Star Wars and Doctor Who)."**

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." – some guy.

Yeah, Idk who said that, but you're right in that it can be applied to this story. The RWBYverse and Haloverse haven't really mixed _that_ much until now, though. I do have an alternate origin story in mind for the mystical aspects in the RWBYverse, but it isn't like other fics I've seen where Salem is just straight-up a Precursor or something; it is still mystical, just a bit muddled.

Also, pretty sure 40k's Dark Age of Technology Humanity would win against just about any other franchise, considering they were so advanced that they made the Orkz (ORKZ!) piss themselves in fear.

* * *

And that's it for the reviews! Again, lemmie know if you like the new style or want me to bring back the old one.

Until then, I'll wish you a happy new year and bid you adieu until 'Insurgent' drops, the next chapter.


	23. Insurgent

(A/N) Alright, this is a few days later than I hoped it'd be, but here it is! And for everyone who asked, the _Spirit_ will arrive in two in-universe months. Idk how many chapters that is, but yeah, two months. Also, I need to announce a _slight_ retcon due to me being an idiot (which was thankfully noticed by someone over on Spacebattles). The system adjacent to Remnant's is now _seven_ light-months away as opposed to six; this is to account for my apparent subconscious hatred for the month of February.

One last thing before the chapter, we just broke six-hundred favorites and seven-fifty followers! Seriously, guys, idk what you see in this thing, but thank. you! And, even though this is a few days late, here's a chapter for you guys! Enjoy!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Seven – Insurgent

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

"…I'm sorry, but did you just imply the Maidens are real?" Pyrrha asked as the elevator doors closed, confusion written all over her face.

I shrugged. "Who do you think broke my armor? The thing's literally fallen from orbit _twice_ now and has been just fine."

"I mean, I know it is quite durable, but surely there are other explanations." She said with a nervous laugh. "Magic isn't real."

"The world would be a very different place if it wasn't, Miss Nikos." Ozpin said.

"I'm still not convinced _aura_ isn't magic." I said. "But the Maidens are a _lot_ more powerful."

She chuckled. "But what you're suggesting is just… insane! Surely four people with that kind of power would be well-known."

Ozpin smirked. "They are. After all, we've all heard the fairy tale."

"With all due respect, you know what I mean, Headmaster."

I raised an eyebrow. "Does a bandit queen count as being 'well known'?"

She blinked. "I'm… sorry?"

"You're from Mistral, I'm sure you've heard of Raven Branwen." She hummed in affirmation. "Well, she's the current Spring Maiden, Yang's killer, and nearly _mine_ too."

She stood shock still, her eyes wide.

"If you still need convincing…" Ozpin began, pausing for the doors to open. "…then I may have the evidence you require." He led us out, a pair of figures popping into view a moment later. "Miss Ironwood, the woman next to me claims you to be a fairytale, care to prove her wrong?"

Chrysanthemum blinked, pausing a moment before a blue flame erupted from her eyes. She held up her hand, a small fire flickering to life in her palm. "A fairytale, eh?"

"That… _could_ be your semblance…" Pyrrha said like she was trying to convince herself more than any of us.

Chrys rolled her eyes. "My semblance allows any machine I'm operating to passively regenerate."

"Huh." I let out. "Guess that's why you're a pilot."

"Kinda gettin' off track, here." The other member said, revealing himself to be my uncle.

"But if the Maidens exist, then-"

"Centuries of Human history is wrong." Ozpin finished. "One of the many, many reasons why they're a secret in the first place. Come, Miss Nikos, we have much to discuss."

"Like the predicament you mentioned?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's one way to put it." Qrow said, taking a swig from his flask. "Bit of an understatement, though."

"Is anyone going to tell me what's actually going on? And why are you even _telling_ me this, anyways?"

"Long story short? One of the Maidens was attacked and for the first time in history, some of her power was stolen."

Pyrrha stiffened, her eyes widening in shock. I, however, merely raised an eyebrow. "Some?"

"Indeed." Ozpin confirmed. "This was not a… _traditional_ transference."

"And what _is_ a traditional transference?" She asked.

"Maidens are not immortal, whether that is for good or ill depends on who you ask." He started. "Usually, upon a Maiden's passing, whomever happens to be in the woman's final thoughts is granted the power."

"Unless it's a dude, or some old hag." Qrow chimed in. "Then our jobs get a looooot harder."

"What he means to say, is that, in those cases, the power goes to someone completely random." Chrys said, shrugging. "That's how I got _my_ powers."

"There's another requirement. They must be a Remnan." I said, drawing Ozpin's gaze. "Unless there's a secret Maiden cult back in UNSC space suppressing the knowledge of their existence, there hasn't been any over there."

He chuckled, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "Ah, I merely find the idea of a quote-unquote 'Maiden cult' amusing."

"Gettin' off track again…" Qrow muttered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Got somewhere to be?"

"Promised Tai I'd help with Yang's funeral." My heart sank at her mention. "Oh, right, Oz, can Ruby and I have Wednesday off?"

"Weiss, Blake, and probably Winter'd wanna come too." I said.

"Yes, you all may have the day off." He said. "And I believe we have arrived." He moved aside, revealing a pair of what at first glance looked like cryopods. The machinery, however, gave them away as something different. A grievously scarred woman lay inside one, her face twisted into a perpetual grimace. "Miss Rose, Miss Nikos, meet Amber Autumn. The current Fall Maiden."

We both looked at her, Pyrrha even going up to the glass and placing a hand on it for a moment. "She's… still alive, isn't she?"

"Indeed." Ozpin confirmed. "But we do not know for how long, nor what will happen afterwards."

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing it won't just transfer to the next host like it normally does, then."

"We've never seen the power split like this." He said, frowning. "While it is _possible_ the inheritance scheme will hold, it is likely the power will seek out its other half."

"Her assailant…" Pyrrha surmised.

"And _that_ would not bode well for any of us." He sighed. "I am sorry, Miss Nikos, but there is a terrible burden I must ask you to bear."

"You want me to be the next Fall Maiden, don't you?"

He nodded solemnly. "It is not a burden I wish to bestow upon someone so young." He said. "If the Covenant had not attacked, we might've found an alternate solution."

"Why are you making this sound so ominous?" I asked, eyes narrowing.

"Because I am afraid it is not as simple as 'step into the pod and receive godly powers'." He said. "We cannot directly transfer them from person to person, else Miss Autumn would've been able to opt out long ago."

"My father has been funding research some might consider to be… _questionable_." Chrys said. "He knows it better than I do, but he's busy with the Vale council."

"What Miss Ironwood means to say, is that we now have the ability to transfer what the Maidens' powers are _bound_ to." He paused. "Aura."

The color drained from her face. "You mean to say that you can just… _rip_ someone's _soul_ right out of their body and give it to some _stranger_?!"

"Yeah, pretty much." Qrow said. "The problem is… what's that gonna do to _you_?"

She shivered in disgust. "That's… _wrong_!"

"Yeah, feeling's mutual, kiddo." He said, shooting a glare at Ozpin. "But we're out of options."

"Actually, you're not." I said. "I'm a _Spartan_. Humanity's sword and shield. I've turned the tide of battles on my own. Hell, I've destroyed entire _armies_ of Covenant with nothing but a gun, a knife, and a good scythe." I said, striding over to the unoccupied pod and lifting the top open. "If you need to ruin a girl's life, use someone who just won't. stop. _losing everything_!"

Qrow's eyes softened. "Ruby…"

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple, Miss Rose." Ozpin interrupted.

My eyes narrowed. "Why not? I'm the _obvious_ choice!"

"It's because you already possess a form of magic; one incompatible with the Maiden powers."

I froze. "… _What_?"

"Tell me something; what color are your eyes?"

"Silver." I said, not knowing where he was going with this. "They're the first thing anyone notices about me."

"And for good reason. Have you heard of the Silver-Eyed Warriors?"

I stood shock still. I'd looked into them briefly when I discovered my eye color wasn't very common, but… "I thought that was just a legend…"

He chuckled. "Well, it seems Miss Nikos is not the only one to have her world shattered this day. Come see me in my office sometime; I have some books on the subject I used to loan to your mother, though she never finished any of them." He turned back to Pyrrha. "However, you, Miss Nikos, have something to think about. Do not make the decision lightly, for there is no going back should you accept."

She glanced back at Amber, shivering again and staring at the almost-lifeless body of the Maiden before her. "So be it." She said, clenching her fists. "I will become your Fall Maiden."

"Miss Nikos… _Pyrrha_." Ozpin addressed. "I do not wish for you to make the decision under duress. Take a week to think it through and give me your answer next Monday." He said. "Keep in mind, this may be the last week you experience while you are still truly _you_ , should you accept. Do not waste it."

"Y- Yes, Headmaster." She said, standing awkwardly.

"I will leave it up to your discretion, Miss Rose, as to whether or not you inform Specialist Schnee, Miss Schnee, or Miss Belladonna. However, Miss Nikos, I must ask you to not inform your teammates, as they have not been informed of the wider situation."

"Y- Yes, Headmaster." She repeated.

My anger flared at him blatantly keeping more secrets, but after a second of thought, I realized that even _I_ wouldn't trust the rest of JNPR with this. Well, maybe Ren, but _certainly_ not the boy who shouted to the high heavens about his transcripts, nor the girl who would do the exact same thing if given the opportunity.

After realizing this, however, I had another question. "If I couldn't be granted the Maiden's powers, then why'd you even bring me here?" I asked.

"Good question, Miss Rose. The answer is that I simply believe you would've found out anyways, and I fear that outcome would have jeopardized Vale's relations with the UNSC." I blinked, realizing he actually made a good point. "Now, I believe that concludes our business down here. We will escort you back to the surface and then you shall be dismissed."

As he led us towards the elevator, I couldn't help but have a single thought. 'At least he's being honest for once in his life…'

* * *

I looked upon my sleeping teammates with a devious smile. Under normal circumstances, I'd let them sleep for a little longer, but I had something _special_ planned for this morning that I spent all night preparing.

I looked to Valkea, wondering how the Penguin Faunus would respond to this. We haven't even told her about our usual morning workouts, but now that the Covenant were here, she wouldn't get a choice. Also, gauging her response might give me a clue as to what Ozpin was so worried about with her.

With silent glee, I reached for the whistle slung around my neck, took a deep breath, and _blew_.

Everyone shot upwards. Blake grabbed Gambol Shroud and started scanning the area, Weiss fell out of her bed, and Valkea whipped out a pistol, loosing a shot that _barely_ scraped my aura before freezing in abject horror.

"What is _wrong_ with-"

"Good morning to you too, Weiss!" I interrupted, ignoring our new teammate's apparent fondness for shooting first and asking questions never. "You have five minutes to get dressed for combat." She blinked, pausing a moment before her and Blake jumped into action.

Valkea, however, remained where she was. "Oh my gods, I didn't-"

"No hard feelings. Get moving."

"Wha-"

"Combat outfit. Now. We leave iiiiinnnnn… four minutes!"

She shook her head, clearing away her tired daze before joining the rest of the team in donning her combat attire.

"Alright Team Groovy!" I addressed after the time had expired, still wondering how few people would guess it was spelled RWVB. "You're probably all wondering why I woke you up at four in the morning…"

"Wait, what the hell?" Valkea let out, the other two just rolling their eyes.

I clapped my hands together. "Well, with the Covenant knowing where Remnant is, I want this team to be the best counter-alien force the world has ever seen!" I smirked. "And you know what that means…"

Blake and Weiss paled, whereas the newest member merely looked confused. "Wait, what is happening?"

"Get her going on a standard run. Bring your weapons." I strode towards the window. "You'll know when to stop." I said, falling backwards out of the room and onto the path below.

* * *

/-\ Valkea Khan /-\

* * *

I looked at my new teammates in confusion. "Did… did she just jump out the window?"

"She's done crazier." The Schnee said, shrugging. "Follow us and do _try_ to keep up. I have a feeling she'll pick you off if you get separated." She turned to Blake. "I don't think for a _moment_ that she's going to let this be a standard run for very long. Can you stick to the trees above us?"

"Since when are _you_ in charge?" I blurted out.

The Schnee raised an eyebrow. "Since Ruby officially made me second in command about a week into our first semester."

"I'm not following a _Schnee_."

They both facepalmed, Blake recovering first. "Was _this_ what I was like early on?"

She crossed her arms. "No, you were _far_ more subtle about your irration-" She paused. "Okay, _somewhat_ rational hatred." She turned back to me. "But the point is that we have training to do at this ungodly hour. I'll lead you through our usual path, let's get moving."

"I refuse."

They both groaned. "If you won't follow a Schnee, would you follow a Belladonna?" Blake asked.

I blinked. "Wait, _that_ Belladonna?"

She rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, _that_ Belladonna."

I blinked. 'So _that's_ why she looked familiar…' I thought. My eyes narrowed, coming to a disconcerting conclusion. "Your parents fought for our people and you end up running to a _Schnee_?!"

The Demoness in question pinched her nose. "Do you think Ruby would be amicable to us turning this into a no man left behind op?"

Blake shrugged. "Only one way to find out." Suddenly, I felt a hand around my neck. I fought against my assailant, but my hands were stopped mid-grab by a pair of white glyphs. 'Fuck you, _Schnee_!' I mouthed as I fell unconscious.

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\

* * *

I released the glyphs holding Valkea's arms still, allowing Blake to gently lower her to the floor as her shadowclone dissipated. I gave her a worried look. "Do the Faunus _really_ hate me that much?" I asked. "I mean, there were literally no problems until the _moment_ I told her to do something."

She shrugged, securing Valkea's limbs with two pairs of odd handcuffs. "You're certainly no saint among the Faunus, but that was pretty extreme. Regardless, I doubt we've gotten ourselves any favors after this…"

I sighed. "You're not wrong…" I muttered before realizing something very peculiar. "Umm, Blake? Why do you have fuzzy handcuffs?"

She froze for a moment, a tint of red spreading onto her cheeks. "They umm… they were from a previous relationship…"

I blushed, catching her implication. "Oh."

She hoisted the unconscious girl onto her shoulders. "Let's pretend you didn't notice that and get moving. I have a feeling she won't be very cooperative when she wakes up."

I shook my head, clearing my mind. "Yeah, uhh… that sounds good, I'll lead the way." I said as we started jogging down the hall. "Gods, this is going to be awkward explaining this to Ruby."

"I'm not worried about _her_ ; I'm worried about if anyone _else_ catches us. This probably looks like a kidnapping."

I blinked. "Double time it!" I shouted, shooting ahead. Blake had no trouble catching up, as I was still the slowest on the team. Soon enough, we were in the woods and away from any allegations of abduction. Waiting for us, however, was our missing leader.

Ruby stood in the middle of the path; arms crossed an eyebrow raised. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, she wouldn't follow a Schnee." I huffed.

"So you knocked her out, threw some kinky handcuffs on her, and slung her over Blake's shoulder while you two sprinted off campus." She said, dryly. "'A' for effort, but you guys do know that those aren't exactly _sturdy_ handcuffs, right?"

Blake's ears flattened. "…Didn't think of that…"

Ruby clapped her hands together. "Okay, so change in plans. Monochrome's job is to escort their 'prisoner'" She said with airquotes. "to a Warthog further up the path and then drive to the destination listed there. Valkea, your job is to escape and make it back to the dorm. Time limit is an hour."

I blinked. "Okay, but why are you telling _her_ that? She's unconscious."

She shrugged. "Actually, she's been awake for this entire conversation." Blake and I froze, not knowing what to do. "By the way, the losing side gets to do _my_ training."

The color drained from my face. "B- Blake, let's get to the…" I paused. "Blake, where is she?"

* * *

/-\ Valkea Khan /-\

* * *

"What are you talking about?" My captor asked, confused. "She's right-"

 **-CHINK-**

I destroyed both sets of handcuffs, their cheap chains breaking easily from my aura-enhanced strength. Not wasting a moment, I rolled off Blake's back and onto the ground a few paces away, leaving them to search fruitlessly as I hid with my semblance.

"She can't have gone far." The Schnee said. "Your eyes are better than mine in the dark, any idea which way she went?"

She shook her head. "No idea." She looked at Ruby. "You?"

Our leader shrugged. "I know exactly where she is, buuuut I'm not helping you cheat."

Blake groaned. "Can you give us a hint at least?"

"Sure; Weiss is right."

Blake hummed in thought. "I felt her push backwards off me, so that'd probably be a good place to start."

The Schnee nodded. "Got it. Lead the way."

They ran off, but my heart was still racing. Ruby said she knew _exactly_ where I was. I'd have to be creative to-

"Nice semblance." She said, sitting down next to me and causing my body to freeze up. "You can knock it off. Your camo's better than an Elite's, but I can still see right through it." She paused. "No pun intended."

I deactivated my semblance, causing myself to become visible again. "What do you want?" I asked, my eyes narrowed.

She raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem?" She asked. "None of us are happy about getting a replacement so early, but from the looks of it, you're blatantly disobeying orders given by a superi-"

"The Schnee is _not_ superior to me!"

She paused. "Ah." She let out. "Let me guess, you didn't take the time to get to know her one single bit and just assumed she'd be the evil white-haired woman cackling as she whipped Faunus to death in the mines." I remained silent. "I'll take that as a 'yes'." She sighed. "Look, discrimination is a two-way street. You asked if Winter would have any problems with you, but it looks like _you're_ the only one causing problems around here."

"You wouldn't understand, _Human_." I growled out.

"I know more than you think I do." She said, getting up and dusting herself off. "By the way, you might want to start running. Blake _definitely_ heard you shouting."

I blinked before realizing the implications. Not wanting to know what _her_ training entailed, I quickly leaped to my feet and-

…immediately realized I was glyphed to the ground…

"Good work, you two." Ruby said as the other two members of my team emerged from the treeline. "But keep in mind that you need to get her to the Warthog and keep her _in_ it until you reach the extraction point."

The Schnee raised an eyebrow. "And where is that, exactly?"

"The GPS'll tell you." She said before thrusting a thumb behind her. "Warthog's that way, by the way."

She nodded. "Understood. Let's get moving."

Blake rolled her eyes. "You're going to make me carry her, aren't you?" She asked, earning a hum. "Y'know, I'd probably be mad if I were a Mule Faunus." She joked as she crouched down.

"Don't touch me." I said, lowly.

"Sorry, but that ship has sailed." She picked me up and roughly threw me over her shoulder. Before I could resist, I found my arms and legs glyphed together.

The Schnee then drew her weapon, spinning the chamber built into its hilt. "Sorry about this." She said before freezing my limbs, dispelling the glyphs once I was bound by other means. "You should be fine, your aura will make sure there's no lasting damage."

"You have no idea how much I _hate_ you."

Her eyes flicked to Blake. "I have a pretty good idea…" She said as I was carried off into the night, kicking and struggling the whole way.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

'That… didn't go to plan…' I thought, pulling a datapad out of my pocket. 'Better change their route to keep it near the school; Valkea'll probably be a Grimm _magnet_ by the time they reach the Warthog…' I hesitated as my finger hovered over the confirmation button. '…Maybe that would be a good thing.' I hummed. "It's not like they wouldn't have weapons to defend themselves…" I mused, cancelling my changes.

I sighed, stowing my datapad once more as I dropped into a runner's stance and took off towards the rendezvous. I didn't use my semblance; I didn't _need_ to for how much time I'd have to kill. Besides, I needed to train harder than I'd ever had to before.

I've been slacking on it lately, how else could I have been so slowin reacting to that _bitch_ killing my sister? I shook my head as I slid down Beacon's cliff and continued on until I hit the clearing, a grim determination in my eyes. Maiden or not, I was more than close enough to have prevented her from throwing her into that portal to the afterlife.

I leaped up, swinging on a tree limb and immediately transitioning into doing pullups. Aside from the time it took to prepare the training course, I'd been doing this all night; my arms _stung_ from all this work, moreso than they had since Draco. I did what I did best, grit my teeth and pushed through it.

Half an hour later, I was mid-way through my katas with Wilt when the gunfire started; rounds I recognized as being from a 50-cal chaingun. I sheathed my sword, jumping into a nearby tree to get a better view of what was going on. Sure enough, I could see the occasional muzzle flash in the distance, the actual sound reaching my ears a few moments later.

I sat down, smiling as I waited for my teammates to arrive. Eventually, the 'Hog got close enough for me to make out its individual movements as it avoided Grimm after Grimm, the shadow creatures being slightly illuminated by the tracer rounds Weiss fired.

A few moments later, the vehicle burst into the clearing, Blake sideswiping a Boarbatusk as her gunner lit up a Beowolf. I dropped down, lazily decapitating a Creep before moving to assist. While Weiss was busy mowing down another pair of Beowolves, I covered their other side, slicing my way through a quartet of Juvenile Deathstalkers the way only a Spartan can.

I flicked the Grimmgore off my blade as the person-sized monsters evaporated. With a blast of Blush, the last Grimm in the clearing, a Creep, died, allowing the Warthog's chaingun to fall silent.

Blake dismounted, walking around the vehicle as my partner stood guard on the turret. "You made it look a _lot_ easier than it actually is…" She deadpanned.

I shrugged. "That's just what a decade of practice does."

"You're insufferable." Weiss said, relaxing onto the gun. "We've arrived. Now what?"

"Well, you brought the little troublemaker here," Valkea glared at us, shivering slightly from the ice holding her to the seat. "so I guess you win." I said, earning a sigh of relief from the monochrome duo. "Buuuut…" They both tensed. "I _did_ say to get her to cooperate, so why don't you guys take the 'Hog back to Beacon and do two standard runs. You can skip the aura depletion part the second time around, buuut," I smirked. "you might wanna hang on to your weapons."

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Blake said.

"Paranoia is good; keeps you alive." I said. "I'll take the Icicle, can you unfreeze her, Ice Queen?"

"Of course." Weiss said, hopping down to the ground and igniting her Myrtenaster, holding it near the flame as the ice surrounding Valkea rapidly began to recede. She hopped out of the Warthog, rubbing her wrists and angrily glaring at my partner.

"Alright, get to it, Monochrome! Daylight's burnin'!" They both nodded, getting back in the vehicle and speeding off a moment later. I turned to our newest teammate and frowned. "What was _that_?" I asked, lowly. "You can't just _refuse_ to do what you're told. Pulling that _will_ get people killed. We've already lost a member; I'm _not_ losing another."

"But she's a-"

"She's a _what_ , Icicle? We've been over this already." Her mouth clicked shut, her glare only intensifying. I rolled my eyes before reaching into my pants and retrieving my concealed M6G and one of my knives. "Alright, since you _obviously_ didn't grab your weapon, you'll need these." I handed them to her. "Your new objective is to make it back to Beacon. Every time I have to save your ass from the Grimm is an extra hundred pushups when we get there."

"You can't-"

"Damn right I can." I said. "I know you're not used to this kind of training, but I made a promise that Team RWBY wouldn't end up like the last team I was on, and _this_ is how I can prepare you for the war. We've already lost a member, and there _won't_ be another death; not on my watch." I jerked my head to the side. "Beacon's that way, let's get a move on."

* * *

/-\ Emanuel Witherson /-\

* * *

I stared at the screen in the conference room as the Warthog we'd loaned to the Spartan practically flew through the forest.

"And why did the Lieutenant Commander need a Warthog again?" Major Foley asked.

I shrugged. "She said it was for a training op; apparently, she's taken her team under her wing."

He rested his hand on his chin in thought. "Spartans are the best soldiers we have, I guess I won't say no to three huntsmen trained by one."

I nodded. "Exactly my thoughts." I said. "By the way, what did you think of her last report?"

He crossed his arms. "That shit hit the fan for Remnant a _long_ time before the Covenant found them. I know people in ONI, _ONI_ , who would balk at shoving someone else's soul into a kid like her." He sighed. "But I also know that Amber's powers can _not_ be allowed to fall into enemy hands. It doesn't matter if that's the covvies or whatever kind of insurrection's going on here."

"My thoughts exactly." I said. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I hope that girl chooses to accept Ozpin's deal." I paused. "Speaking of assets, though, have the guys down in engineering gotten anything from that _oracle_ the Lieutenant Commander brought back?"

He shook his head. "They can't even figure out how to get the bloody thing _open_." He said. "This is just a frigate, Commander, we were never expected to be doing actual research. Plus, I have a feeling our engineering staff will be _very_ busy for the foreseeable future."

"You've got that right…"

* * *

/-\ Valkea Khan /-\

* * *

I shakily strode into my dorm room, making it two paces in before my legs gave out and I collapsed onto the floor.

"Yeah, that's about what I expected." I heard Blake say.

I looked up and saw her fully dressed in her uniform while sitting cross-legged on her bed, a book in her lap. "She isn't _Human_!"

She twitched her cat ears. "Neither are we."

My head fell back to the floor with an audible thud. "I had to do four hundred pushups on _top_ of what she already wanted me to do!" I groaned. "I just wanna sleep…"

I heard the door beside me click open, a few light footfalls following. "Unfortunately, we still have class to attend, though I'm sure you'll be glad to hear combat class isn't until tomorrow." The _Schnee_ said. "The shower is open, by the way. If I were you, I would take advantage of that fact."

I glared at her, but the call of a nice soothing shower was too tempting. Eventually, I strode into the bathroom and locked the door behind me, my uniform in hand. I stepped into the shower, immediately sitting down on the interior seat.

As the water ran through my hair, I let my mind wander. 'How the _hell_ did I get assigned to _this_ team?' I wondered. 'They're completely _insane_! Who in the right mind makes us get up at four in the Brothers damned _morning_ to go through _that_?!'

I sighed. 'Did… did I make a mistake when I agreed to this?' I shook my head. 'No, the _Humans_ interfered with our plans. I was _supposed_ to be on a team with Sister Trifa, but she didn't get here in time.' My fists clenched in anger, but I took a few deep breaths, calming myself down.

My eyes softened. '…I miss Sienna…' I thought. 'I bet _she'd_ know what to do in this situation...' I mulled it over for a few seconds before shaking my head. 'No, she knows best. My job is to become a huntress, and that's what I'll do.' My eyes narrowed in grim determination. 'Even if I have to slog through that team's _insane_ workout routine.'

Suddenly, someone banged on the door. "Are you almost done? Class is in fifteen minutes!" My leader shouted.

I blinked. "C- Coming!" I shouted, turning off the water and getting dressed as quickly as my aching muscles would allow.

* * *

"Good morning, class!" The green-haired professor said. His eyes darted between myself and a few other students. "Ah, you must be the Atlesians! Excellent, excellent! I am _DOCTOR_ Oobleck, professor of history, archaeology, and coffee at this fine institution! I will, however, give you one warning. I possess a PhD in all of the aforementioned subjects and therefore expect to be referred to as _DOCTOR_ , not professor."

He took a sip from his thermos. "Now, to start off this semester, we have a very rare opportunity indeed. Today, we shall discuss history… AS IT HAPPENS BEFORE OUR VERY EYES!" He shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. "Now… who here can tell me what has been on the news recently. Besides the invasion, of course. Lieutenant Commander Rose will cover that topic in her new class."

A student on the other side of the room raised his hand. "Uhh… didn't that one Spider Faunus get arrested for being in the White Fang?"

I frowned. 'Damnit, Trifa!' I mentally cursed. 'Well, there goes my backup…'

Oobleck's lips pursed. "Indeed she did, though that is not what I was looking for, Mister Arc." He took another sip from his thermos, waiting for another student to answer. When no one did, he cleared his throat. "Very well, then. The event I was referring to is the recent decision to grant a parcel of land to the UNSC!" The class remained silent. "This is exciting! Extraremnantine Humans being given land in our own backyard! And only two days after their first meeting, too! That is quite possibly the fastest the Valerian bureaucracy has ever ran!"

Another sip. "So today, we will break into teams and make an educated guess as to what will become of this by the end of the semester! Do try to make them accurate, though, as extra credit will be given to the team with the most accurate prediction."

I looked at the rest of my teammates before sighing. '…Is this _really_ what being a huntress is all about?'

* * *

/-\ Berry Sonic /-\

* * *

I sighed as I held my rifle. Nothing to report. Again. 'All that's out there is just snow, snow, and more _snow_.' I thought. 'Seriously, who would be crazy enough to mess with us?'

I walked past the main entrance on my patrol, the gates closed for the time being.

" **ALL SDC LABORERS,"** I heard from inside. **"IT IS NOW SEVEN-O-CLOCK, CURFEW IS NOW IN EFFECT."**

"Stupid Faunus…" I muttered. "If they just shut up and worked in the mines like they're _supposed_ to, Mister Schnee wouldn't've had to do that…" My shoulders slumped. "Well, at least I've only got half an hour until I can go home."

Suddenly, a force threw me off my feet. I tried to scream, but a gloved hand wrapped around my mouth, muffling me. I struggled and struggled, but soon I felt something slice my throat open. I coughed and sputtered, a tear leaving my eye as I realized I was about to die. Just before my vision went dark, I got a good look at my assailant.

That horned Grimm mask was the last thing I ever saw…

* * *

(A/N) Aaaand it seems things aren't all great in Mantle either. Who would've guessed? But yeah, somewhat slower chapter than what we're used to. Not all that much more I need to say here except that I've decided that, due to FFN messing up their messaging system, I'm going to abandon the "only guest reviews addressed" plan that I outlined last chapter. So yeah, everyone's reviews that needed responding to are down below.

Just a warning, though, if you haven't read ASH, you'd best skip them.

 **Joeyginise said – "Since the Spirit of Fire has a Spartan Team assigned to it, does it have what I have been calling a Spartan Bay. Its basically that one room that chief went into to have his armor removed. That's the only place I can think of that is equipped to repair Mjolnir armor. That's a priority 1 thing when it arrives. And it seems that plot is happening. YAY!"**

I'd imagine they've rigged SOMETHING up. Sure, Red Team weren't assigned there on purpose (they kinda just got roped into it at Arcadia) but since the Spirit has its own manufacturing capabilities, I'd imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to just get something working so the Spartans could have a shower or something without having to spend ~5 hours trying to get out of their armor on their own.

 **ExodiaGeass8910 said – "love the new cahpter, the main question I have is wiil Valkea still gonna be a part of team RWBY when Yang gets back? Also, how likely is it to be afore the Fire gets to Remnant, returns Summer and Yang, and we start seeing more UNSC gear in the hands of Halo Certied RWBY teams?"**

Thanks! You'll have to wait and see with the Valkea part. I'm guessing you meant to ask how long before the Spirit gets back? 2 months. In-universe time, ofc.

 **IcyDoom said – "Quick question. How does the flood infect people with aura and if they have a semblance can they use it?**

 **Are the grimm some form of remnant from the precursors?**

 **Are we going to see ONI presence on remnant or are they already there, since they will do everything they can for humanities survival what will they do to the faunus and aura individuals. I would find it quite likely that experiments would be conducted on subjects."**

That is, quite frankly, a terrifying question I never want to know the answer to. Just imagining a Gravemind with the totally-not-magic bullshit powers that some huntsmen have is the kind of shit horror movies are made from.

The Grimm are not related to the Precursors in any way, shape, or form. I've seen a few other fics that do that, though.

Well, if you see ONI, they aren't doing their job, lol. I'm hoping to go for a more grounded ONI. Yes, they'll do anything for Humanity's survival, but there just aren't very many resources ONI has on the planet atm. Maybe they'll do some experiments with criminals on death row/life sentences when they get more established, but right now is out of the question.

 **Guest 001 said – "How was this chapter supposed to make me angry!? Will Pyrrha LIVE in this story!?"**

Some people vehemently believe OCs do _not_ belong on Team RWBY/JNPR, so yeah, I thought what I did with Valkea might piss people off. Pyrrha's fate, however, is a spoiler :)

 **Shadow Walker of Fire said – "Great chapter. What does Reavia mean?"**

It's a variation of the term "Reavian", which refers to a denizen of Reach. Essentially, it's a fancier way of saying "New Reach", somewhat similar irl to how Venice got its name (Veneti from Gaul got forcibly resettled in Italy and called it Venezia).

 **Dark Phoenix Jake said – "To quote:**

 **Arthur C. Clarke's third law: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."**

 **The fact that the people of Remnant are just accepting the UNSC is kinda strange to me, but I suppose that war makes strange bedfellows. Even so, I would LOVE to see their reaction to some of the other technology from the HALO series."**

Ah, so that's who said it. Kinda feel stupid now, lol, Clarke is kind of a big deal.

There hasn't been a good time to show it yet, but I'm sure people would be astounded at flash cloning for one, let alone the obvious; space travel.

 **Guest 002 said – "Why didn't Ruby ask Ozpin to use the wand to FIX HER ARMOR!? Will any of the Halo Wars 2 Units, such as the Mark 2 Cyclops unit be available to Ironwood when the Spirit of Fire arrives!? Will the canon character that used to have Silver Eyes by has the cybernetics be in this story!? Will the Ace Ops be in this story, or did they die in Atlas!? I can't wait to see Dr. Watts utterly FAIL at trying to hack UNSC systems and AI's!"**

I forgot to mention that the wand can only fix organic things. It'd be interesting to see if it worked on a Huragok, but it won't fix MJOLNIR. So, funny thing about HW2 units… I haven't actually played that game, so I have no idea what units are actually available or really how to use them. Some might pop up (because Halopedia knows what they are) but I know for a fact that there won't be any Mantises (Manti?) stomping around.

I'm debating on whether or not to put Maria in; she'd certainly be helpful for Ruby, Valkea, and Summer (when she gets back), but yeah, idk. This story was started before we even knew Atlas floated, and therefore, the Ace Ops weren't factored in at _all_ , so yeah, I'm calling them Killed In Action.

TFW Watts doesn't use a VPN and gets traced back to Salem's castle then nuked.

 **Mid Level Fighter said – "Can't believe it took me three days to notice the update. Well, here goes:**

 **HE REPLACED YANG WITH A TERRORIST? Ruby really needs to tell him about her Innie kill count at some point, or maybe make a mention of it to Valkea.**

 **Ruby as a teacher was one of the first things i thought of when the Covies arrived, because Noble 6 is the second best Spartan ever, and is only a 3 on top of that. She should probably just have Blake and Weiss as assistants rather than make them sit through a class they already took in the field. To be honest, her whole class could be the highlight reel from Lone Wolf, with some shots of New Alexandria sprinkled in, and some fights from the Covie ship.**

 **And now, we get to Yang's inevitable return. Tearful and jubilant as that will no doubt be, i'm sure you will make it some heroic assault with a squad of Spartans and her mother rescuing the group. Perhaps with one landing directly on Tyrian and crushing his head? (Hint hint)**

 **Side note: who has the Monitor? I think I may know where you are going with that, but I will have to wait and see.**

 **As always, great job, can't wait to see the next chapter."**

I've been playing around with the idea of Weiss and Blake being assistants, but I wasn't entirely sure it was a good idea; I'll give the idea another once-over. The only problem with showing what happened on the covvie ship is that she can't show anything past the point where Winter gets her arm cut off, as that would raise the obvious question of how the hell she got it back.

While I could certainly go that way, I probably won't, as I need Tyrian alive for Volume 3. I might do a little scene where Watts throws a hissy fit at the UNSC's cybersecurity, though. That'd be hilarious.

 **Guest 003 said – "By the way how much does Ruby Weight because we know how tall she is but not hit weight is."**

So, that question sent me into a minor research spiral. I looked up Kat's weight (245lbs) so I thought around there would be good for Ruby, but converting that into BMI shows she's only in the "overweight" category. Anyone who actually knows BMI would figure that a Spartan, (someone who's so ripped they could bench a car if they wanted) would be well into the "obese" category, if not "extremely obese" for the more muscular ones like Jorge. So given Ruby is 6'4" in this story, I selected the very first box in the "obese" category and came up wiiiiiiiith… 250lbs. These figures obviously do not include the MJOLNIR or any other armor Kat or Ruby might wear. Also, [insert 'don't ask about a woman's weight' joke here]

 **Firewyrm2 said – "Yeah it's just that I have never heard of that series and please respond to my question about how you plan to incorporate the Elites, Grunts, and Hunters leaving the Covenant and (at least in the case of the Elites, don't know whether the other two groups did) siding with humanity."**

Ah, I mean Warhammer 40,000; commonly referred to as WH40k or just 40k. That second question is kinda out of the blue, and also is major spoilers in addition to something that hadn't even crossed my mind yet.

 **Guest 004 said – "Ruby is going to get her armor fixed, right!?"**

Yep, at some point.

 **Red October 700 said – "Not bad. Not bad at all. So before I go into the review, I have one thing to say.**

 **What is going on with the PMs? You, me, and another author have been having problems with receiving PMs. Are the vex playing with the space-time continuum or something again?**

 **As for the story, I am curious if Ruby is going to include Valekae in her counter-insurgency force. And if she does join, how is she going to feel and react to what all Ruby is going to put her through, and weather her views are going to change over her time. But that is in the future. Again unless the Vex decides to play around with the timeline.**

 **Sooooo, I gess I will see your response in the next chapter. Later"**

Yeah, no idea what's going on with the PMs. As far as I can tell, they still get through, you just aren't notified via email anymore. If only it was the Vex, then we could take their s***, go back, and save Cayde. Or maybe kill Ghaul last week :)

She probably won't be informed about that due to some issues that will come up in the next chapter.

 **Guest 005 said – "What is the new team name gonna be considering that Yang is MIA and replaced by Valkea Khan Team RWBY doesn't really work? Is it Team RWBV? Team RWWBV? Does Winter count in the team? I apologize if the question is phrased wrong."**

It's Team RWVB, or 'Groovy' when pronounced. I don't count Winter in the naming scheme for the official title because she is not an official member and it can also be modified to RWWVB if need be.

* * *

Aaand that's all for that, folks! TBH, I haven't decided on a name for the next chapter yet... soo... yeah, see ya next time!


	24. Hear Them Whisper

(A/N) This is, once again, a little later than I'd hoped, but it's also a longer chapter (6.3k as opposed to the usual 5k), so hopefully that balances out. In other news, this is now the second most favorited Halo x RWBY crossover on the _entirety_ of Fanfiction dot net. That is honestly _amazing_! Thank you guys so much!

One last thing before the chapter, I'm working on actually drawing Valkea. I've been meaning to do that for a while, but a school project came up and I figured "Hey, why not?" So yeah, that's gonna be a thing. It's not done yet, but it will be before the next chapter goes live, so I'll post a fanfiction-friendly link on that one.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Eight – Hear Them Whisper

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I walked through the alleyways of Vale, my old disguise shielding me from prying eyes. This area was a lot fuller than I remembered, mainly occupied by people clad in flimsy and disintegrating servant's clothes.

'Atlesians.' I thought. 'At least the lower-class ones.' Most gave me curious looks, but quickly shied away when the usual occupants of the alley did the same. Soon enough and I'd arrived at my destination; the Three Bears dance club.

I could faintly hear the music as I approached the backdoor, the henchie standing guard giving me a quick nod upon noticing me and knocking three times. The door slid open a moment later, bringing me face-to-face with another henchman who led me to the usual conference room.

Cel awaited me there, my guide departing as soon as we reached the room. She crossed her arms. "So, mind telling me why you missed my last payment?" She asked.

I shrugged. "The gang and I went on a mission that lasted a bit longer than expected." I said, pulling out two envelopes. "One has your money; both this month's, last month's, and a little bonus. The other has your updated procedures as well as new contact info; my old burner scroll broke." I lied, covering up the fact that I was actually giving her the scroll number of Major Foley. I'd already informed him of his new quote-unquote 'agent' and how we usually communicated.

Cel snatched both envelopes right out of my hand, opening the larger one and swiftly counting out the Lien inside. "It's all here." She said before handing me an envelope of her own. "That thing up in Atlas's got 'em nervous. They're mobilizing for the first time since you started hitting 'em."

I nodded, taking her report. "Good to know. We'll be in touch, agent." I said, striding out the door. An hour later, I sat down on the couch inside the ruined cabin that housed our bunker, having shed the more annoying aspects of my disguise. I dove straight into her report, a cup of coffee helping me to shake off the fatigue that was finally setting in after three days of nearly _zero_ sleep.

As I read on, though, any trace of exhaustion was completely and _utterly_ erased. I hid the report in the wall and reached for my radio. "Commander? We've got a… _situation_ …"

* * *

I silently crept into our dorm, stalking towards Blake's bunk as she slept peacefully within. When I reached it, I clamped a hand down over her mouth, ensuring no screams would escape. Her eyes snapped open, hands instinctively trying to wrench mine from her face.

I held on, making a shushing motion with my other hand while she struggled. Soon enough, the panic started leaving her eyes, replaced with annoyance as she recognized _who_ was doing this. I repeated the shushing motion, causing her to nod, before slowly removing my hand.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly agitated. I passed her a note that told her to meet me at the bunker, knowing she'd be able to read it with her nightvision. Instead of waiting for her response, I quickly, and quietly, snuck over to my partner's bunk, repeating the process.

Like Blake, Weiss's eyes snapped open once I covered her mouth, though she was paralyzed with fear. I could almost feel her heart pounding through her chest. I clicked on a flashlight for a moment or two, just long enough for her to recognize me.

She shakily exhaled from her nose, calming down slightly. I made the same shushing motion I did with Blake, but her eyes only narrowed in anger. My partner tried to backhand me, but I dodged out of the way and repeated the shushing motion.

She fumed, but eventually nodded, allowing me to safely remove my hand. I leaned down to her ear "Meet me in the bunker. Don't wake Valkea." I whispered before turning around and silently exiting the room.

In a few moments, I was outside the dorm building. I paused for a moment, rethinking my approach, before turning to my left and heading towards the staff dorms. And that's how I found myself face-to-face with a bleary-eyed and very _angry_ Winter Schnee.

"Why, pray tell, did you wake me up at zero-dark-thirty?"

"Because we have a problem. A _big_ one." I said. "Throw on something over your skivvies and follow me. This place's a little too _noisy_ , if you catch my drift."

She blinked, her face scrunching up in confusion for a second before she seemingly got the message. "Give me a minute." She said with a yawn, not even bothering to close the door. The Specialist didn't don her uniform, instead throwing on a green trenchcoat (Vale's twin axes proudly emblazoned on the right shoulder) and her boots. Lastly, she secured her saber at her hip before turning back to me. "Lead the way."

I nodded, heading for the bunker. By the time we got there, Weiss was already nodding off on the couch and Blake looked to be opening her third can of tuna. I let Winter go in first before slamming the door behind me, causing my partner to jump off the couch in fright. "Ugh, you oaf!" She shouted. " _What_ is the matter with you?! I thought some _deviant_ had snuck into our dorm and was going to-"

"There's a spy at Beacon." I interrupted, causing them all to stiffen.

Winter's hand hovered over her saber. "I need details."

I produced Cel's report. "It's all in here; the spy we've got in the 'Fang overheard Adam talking about how Sienna's got one of her people here." Winter snatched the envelope from me. "No names, though."

She abruptly stopped reading. "Wait… you have a _spy_ in the White Fang?"

I shrugged. "I like to keep tabs on the little innies; old habits die hard, I guess."

"Old habits- We've been trying to accomplish that for _years_ , and you just suddenly _have_ one?!"

"I've got experience with this stuff." I said. "But let's get back on track. She doesn't name any names, but I've got a few suspects. Valkea's at the top of that list."

Weiss crossed her arms. "I know she doesn't like me, but that doesn't automatically mean she's White Fang."

"Nope, it doesn't, but that isn't the only clue." I said. "When I met her, she stuttered on her last name; implying she was using a fake one. When she met Winter, she froze up and reached for her weapon."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "So, you noticed it too."

I nodded. "Then to top it all off, Ozpin _knows_ she's hiding something. Something that only _we_ can handle, apparently."

"Alright, you have me convinced." Weiss said. "When are we moving to apprehend her?"

"Not right this minute." I said, drawing a raised eyebrow from my partner. "Think about it. If Sienna _knew_ that her agent made it to Beacon, that means either they're communicating somehow, or Valkea _isn't_ the spy."

" _Or_ not the only one." Blake said.

"Or that. I'm certainly not ruling it out; we've had eyes on her ever since she joined the team, but she might've sent something before that." I said. "You've got the best picture of how the 'Fang operates, what would they do in this situation?"

She hummed. "Adam works in a system of twos; no one does anything dangerous alone."

"But this isn't _Taurus_." Winter cut in, holding Cel's report. "This says that Adam was quoting a message from _Khan_."

"This goes all the way to the top…" I muttered. "Did you ever work directly under her?"

She shook her head. "I've only met her a few times, and _that_ was when my father was still in charge."

"So we're working blind." I crossed my arms. "I guess I've had worse counterinsurgency ops…"

Winter raised an eyebrow. "Do I even _want_ to know?"

"No." We all said in unison.

She pinched her nose in a very Weiss-like fashion. "Very well. What do you suggest we do?"

"I'll take this to Ozpin, you'll go to Ironwood." I hummed in thought. "Blake, do you think you can befriend her?"

She shrugged. "Maybe, I don't know."

"Good enough; just keep an eye on her." I said. "If she tries to get away from you, be sure to tail her. Maybe try to have a look inside her backpack when she isn't looking; see if you can't find anything suspicious."

"I'll see what I can do." She said. "Maybe I can convince her to come around to our way of thinking."

I sighed. "Just don't reveal that we're on to her. If I'm right, I don't wanna spook her."

She nodded, a grateful smile on her face. "Thank you."

"What about me?" Weiss asked. "She absolutely hates me; I'm honestly not sure what I _can_ do. Any ideas?"

I hummed. "Not at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of something." I said. "In the meantime, let's get some training in, since we're out here."

They all groaned, but no further objections were made.

* * *

"My, you're up early, Miss Rose." Ozpin said.

"Up still, actually." I said, getting up from my chair. "There's just too much to do; I can sleep later."

"The bags under your eyes tell another story." He said before motioning to the elevator. "Come; I'd imagine you haven't been sitting in my waiting room for gods know how long just to wait some more while I get settled." I nodded, joining him in the elevator. "Coffee, Lieutenant Commander?" He offered, retrieving a cup from the wall.

I nodded. "Please."

He retrieved another cup, filling it just in time for the doors to open. I sipped at it as we sat down, not minding the scalding temperature. "So, what has brought you to my office at six this morning?"

"There's a spy at Beacon." I said, setting the coffee down. "One working for the White Fang."

He nodded. "Any suspects?"

"A few." I said, cautiously. He wasn't acting like I thought he would; you'd think he'd be _surprised_ by the notion of a terrorist spy at his school. "Valkea Smith is at the top of that list."

He hummed, sipping at his own drink. "It seems James owes me ten Lien, then."

I blinked. "What?"

"We had a friendly wager, General Ironwood and I." He started. "I bet that your teammate would be outed within the first week. It seems I was correct."

My jaw hit the floor. "If you knew she was an innie, then _why_ in the _world_ did you let her in here in the first place?!" I shouted.

He calmly sipped his hot cocoa. "Have you noticed something… _familiar_ about Miss Smith?"

I crossed my arms. "If you're going to compare her to Blake-"

"I am aware her situation is different from that of Miss Belladonna." He interrupted. "I meant on a more… _physical_ level." He took another sip of his drink. "Miss Rose, what color are her eyes?"

I paused, picturing the terrorist's face in my mind's eye. "They're… silver…" I let out, putting the pieces together.

He nodded. "With Atlas gone and Mistral being Mistral, we need _every_ advantage we can get in the war against the Grimm." He took another sip. "Plus, my placement of her on your team has other benefits besides the impossibility of keeping secrets; that being a chance at rehabilitation."

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Earlier, you were worried I was going to compare her situation with Miss Belladonna's. While they attend this institution on two _very_ different circumstances, there are similarities; ones I hope allow for her to be positively influenced." Another sip. "And also, the Belladonna name carries weight within the Faunus community, making it more likely that Miss Belladonna will be successful in her endeavors."

I hummed. "I thought Blake'd be able to get closer to her as well." I said before realizing something. "Wait a minute, how did you know about Valkea being a spy?"

He chuckled. "You don't get to be my age and not be able to read people." He sipped his drink. "I'll admit you were fairly difficult to read, but Miss Smith was only slightly more difficult than an open book."

I crossed my arms. "Fine. I guess the _UNSC_ teamed up with the innies against the covvies a couple times; maybe we can convince her to fight the Grimm with us. That still leaves the question of _how_ , though."

"That, Lieutenant Commander, is an issue I will leave to you." He checked his watch. "But until then, I do believe you have a funeral to prepare for. However, I _do_ still have those books on your heritage if you wish to take them while you're here…"

* * *

/-\ Pyrrha Nikos /-\

* * *

I tapped my fingers on the desk in front of me, both anticipating and dreading the ringing of the bell. Specialist Schnee stood in front of the class, bags under her eyes. "Now," She said in her commanding tone. "who here can summarize today's lesson?"

An ashen-haired girl sitting next to the new member of Team RWBY raised her hand, the R, W, and B of that team conspicuously absent. "Most Covenant don't have aura."

" _No_ Covenant have aura." She corrected. "Some _do_ have energy shielding, though, and that functions similarly to the protective aspect of aura. However, it is not _actually_ aura." She said, turning around and writing 'No Covenant have aura.' on the board. Oddly, she started with her left hand and then switched partway through, sighing when she did. She turned back around. "That was part of the lesson; who else has anything to add?"

Ren politely raised his hand. "Their weaponry is highly effective against our own aura, and therefore, despite their lack of our abilities, they are not to be taken lightly."

She nodded in approval. "Correct. I will freely admit that there were several times during the invasion when I wasn't sure if I would survive." Suddenly, the bell rung, causing all the students to begin packing up their things. "Miss Nikos." She said.

I paused. "Umm… yes, Specialist?"

"A word, please?" I strode over to her, very nervous of what she wanted to talk about. She sighed. "Miss Rose has informed me of your… _Maidenly_ _situation_ …" She said, causing me to stiffen. "I just wanted to let you know that you can talk to me, if you so desire."

I glanced towards the door, seeing that new girl paused there, before turning back to Winter and giving her a strained smile. "I'll… keep it in mind. Thank you."

"That is all I ask." She said before stepping away and turning towards the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the new person quickly run out of the classroom. Winter then made for the door, her face as stoic as ever.

I blinked, not really sure what to make of that interaction, before clearing my mind with a shake of my head. Just then, I remembered my plans for today. Now that the last class of the day was over, I felt my anxiety rise again.

I grabbed my things and headed out the door to my destination, my legs getting shakier and shakier with every step. 'This may be the last week you are still truly _you_.' I remembered Ozpin saying. 'Do not waste it.' The week was already half over, and I hadn't done _anything_ that I wanted to yet. But Ozpin was right; I _couldn't_ waste this. With that thought, I entered the dorm room, surprised to see only two of my teammates present.

Nora glanced at me, looking away after a moment but quickly did a double take. I nervously smiled at her, giving a shaky wave before my eyes drifted to Jaune, who was nose-deep in a comic book. Nora's eyes darted between us before she let out a squee of delight, causing me to blush.

"Is she looking up pictures of sloths again?" My partner asked, not turning away from his comics.

I rubbed the back of my head. "Umm… sure…" I nervously laughed. "Let's go with that."

Just then, Ren exited the bathroom. Nora's eyes immediately shot to him, a devious smile on her face. She winked at me before striding over to the closet and grabbing her hammer. "C'mon, Renny! We're gonna go ride a Nevermore like Ruby did back in initiation!"

He sighed. "No, Nora. We're not going to- aaand she's gone." He said, commenting on the now-open window. He rolled his eyes, setting down his towel and stowing his Stormflower in his sleeves. "Hopefully she hasn't made it to the forest yet…" He muttered, exiting the room through the door like a normal Human being.

I blinked. 'Did… did Nora just help me?' I thought shortly before shaking my head, refocusing on my objective. I took a deep breath. 'Come on, you can do it. He'll _probably_ say yes. Probably. Oh, gods, what if he doesn't? Who _else_ would ever see me as-' I shook my head again, trying to banish the negative thoughts. 'Come on, Pyrrha, just… get his attention! Just open your mouth and say-' "J- Jaune?" My eyes widened. 'Oooooohhhhh no, what did I just _do_? M- maybe he didn't hear me. Yeah, that would be-'

"Yeah, Pyr?" He asked, innocently.

I made a choking noise. 'AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! WHAT WAS I THINKING?! THIS WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA! AND NOW HE'S STARING AT ME LIKE I'M SOME LUNATIC! OH MY GODS, NOW I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING!' "Umm… I like your hoodie?" '…Okay, not the _weirdest_ thing I could've said…'

"Uhh… thanks?" He said, pausing for a moment. "…Are you feeling alright, Pyr? You're acting really weird."

I chuckled nervously. "Ah, yes, I'm quite not definitely very good, thanks!" 'WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU'RE MESSING EVERYING UP!'

He stared at me incredulously. "…If you say so…" He said, turning back to his comics.

'NO NO NO NO! DON'T DO THAT!' I wanted to shout. "Umm… actually…" I started, forcing the words out. "I was wondering if you would… like to… hang out… on Friday…" 'Pleasesayyespleasesayyespleases-'

"Huh, yeah, that sounds awesome! Let's ask Ren and N-"

"No!" I said a little too quickly. I smiled nervously, clasping my hands behind my back. "I mean… I was thinking that it could just be… us two."

He blinked. "Oh, like a partners day? Sure, when and where?"

'P- partners?' I mentally stuttered. 'Like… boyfriend/girlfriend partners?' My smile slowly turned more genuine, happiness filling me like I was basking in the sun on a warm summer's day. "Well… I was thinking we could grab a bite to eat in the city after class." I said, somewhat more confidently.

"Sounds good to me." He said.

I couldn't control it anymore; the happiness was just simply too much to comprehend. At a loss for words, I walked over to my bed and collapsed onto it; my pillow muffling the happiest squee I'd ever squeed.

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

A solitary tear trickled down my face as I knelt in front of the new grave on the Rose Family graveyard; a place I wished would just. stop. _growing_. Nothing was buried beneath the grave itself; there was nothing _to_ bury, her body was gone.

Yang's grave was different than the others; adorning both my rose emblem as well as her own burning heart. "An inferno built from embers but extinguished too soon." I muttered, reading her epitaph. Despite the situation, I thought it fitting that her epitaph mirrored mine. I sighed, part of me wondered if it was possible that Raven just sent her somewhere else, but the unbidden memory of my mom's body squashed that hope.

I wiped my tear, nodding to the grave before getting up and stepping back into line. Beside me were my family; Weiss, Blake, Qrow, Dad. Behind us stood the half-dozen others that came; Winter being the only person I knew.

The pastor said a few more words, none of which I paid attention to, before concluding the ceremony. The people I didn't know all left, leaving only those closest to me. I glanced back at my sister's grave, wishing that she could stand here with us. The others dispersed; still within earshot, but far enough away to where I was alone.

I heard footsteps behind me, their pattern giving away who approached. "…You didn't have to teach today, y'know?" I said. "Ozpin said he'd give us the day off."

"I am aware." Winter said, standing beside me. "I may not have known her for very long, but I feel that Yang would have wanted others to be prepared for what may come. And every single day counts."

I shrugged. "I guess I can't fault you on that." I said, looking at her. She glanced away, nervously shifting on her feet. "What's on your mind?" I asked, recognizing the mannerism from Weiss.

"It's something I've been thinking about for a while now..." She shook her head. "It is merely a thought, but portal semblances don't usually allow people to be sent to dangerous places."

"Raven said she was sending her to Summer; I wouldn't imagine the afterlife to be dangerous." I said.

"And that's the part that doesn't add up. There have been no recorded incidents of-"

"Umm, Ruby?" I heard another voice suddenly ask.

I sighed. "Yeah, Qrow?"

"I couldn't help but overhear you two, so I want to clarify what you said just now." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Did Ravensay she sent _Yang_ to _Summer…_ with a _portal_?" He asked, his hands shaking slightly.

I blinked. "Yeah…?"

He froze; his breath hitching as a shocked expression flashed onto his face.

"Uncle Qrow?" I asked, trying to snap him out of it. I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Uncle Qrooooow?"

"They're alive…" He whispered, a smile crawling onto his face. "They're alive!"

"What are you talking about? _Who's_ alive?"

"Summer and Yang are alive!" He shouted, drawing everyone's attention.

I sighed. "Qrow… I saw _both_ of them die right before my eyes. As much as I'd like to think they're out there somewhere… they're not…"

"No, Ruby, you don't understand. Raven's semblance doesn't work on the dead!"

* * *

I burst into Ozpin's office, the monochrome duo at my heels. "Yang's alive!"

He blinked. "And how, might I ask, did you come to that conclusion? You made it rather clear that your sister had been 'killed in action', as you put it."

"Because apparently, Raven's portals don't kill people." I said, simply.

Goodwitch, who was sitting across from the headmaster with a half-eaten sandwich in her hand, raised an eyebrow. " _That's_ how Miss Xiao Long died?" She asked. "Who did she send her to?"

"She sent her to my mom, who's apparently alive too."

Their eyes shot wide open. "Summer is _alive_?" Ozpin muttered.

"I don't know how, but Qrow says she is." I said, crossing my arms. "But now there's a little… _problem_." My eyes narrowed. "You replaced Yang before she would've been cold, and now there's a possibility of her coming back. So I'm going to make something _abundantly_ clear." I strode up to his desk and leaned forward, my face coming within an inch of his. " _When_ she comes back, she is not to be reassigned to another team. I don't care how many strings you have to pull, but Yang Xiao Long will be on the same team as myself, Weiss Schnee, and Blake Belladonna. Clear?"

He nodded. "Crystal."

I stood up straight and smiled. "Glad we understand each other." I said before turning around and heading for the elevator. "You heard him, ladies. Team RWBY'll be back; let's just make sure our number four has something to come back to!"

"Oorah!" They shouted as we entered the elevator.

As soon as the doors closed, Weiss crossed her arms. "I still think that was too risky; it's almost _unheard_ of for students to make demands of their headmaster like that."

I shrugged. "Sometimes you've just gotta do what needs to be done." I said. "Wait, that gives me an idea."

My partner pinched her nose. "I've got a bad feeling about this…"

"You should, though you'll have until combat class on Friday to prepare for it." The elevator dinged. "You guys go on ahead, I need to look into something…"

They both walked out, Weiss looking back. "Just… don't take too long, okay? You've been pushing yourself hard these past few days; you need to rest."

"I'm a Spartan, Weiss. I'll be fine."

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\

* * *

I took a deep breath and twisted open the bathroom door, stepping into our dorm room proper. My eyes immediately flicked up to my partner's bed.

Still empty, as it had been for the past several nights.

I looked over to Blake, who was taking the first shift in our new job of 'making sure Valkea didn't snap and try to murder us or something'. She raised an eyebrow, looking up from her book. I walked over to her bunk and leaned in to whisper in one of her Human ears. "I'm going out to look for Ruby. I'll be back soon, hopefully."

She hummed in acknowledgement, eyes trailing back down to her book. I slipped on my cloak and combat boots, hesitating a moment before strapping Myrtenaster to my hip and heading out the door. As the door clicked shut behind me, I began to wonder where she would've gone. Unfortunately, she'd disabled her scroll's tracking app, so I couldn't use that to track her down.

Instead, I had to do this the old-fashioned way; looking in every likely spot and ask anyone there if they'd seen her. I know I could've called her, but I had the sneaking suspicion that I'd have to drag her to bed. My cheeks flushed as I realized there were… _alternate_ implications to that thought.

I shook my head as I arrived at my first stop; the balcony. She probably wasn't _here_ , per se, but if she was on Beacon grounds, I'd probably be able to see her. Even if the light was fading fast, I would still be able to pick her out easily if she was doing anything drastic for her training right now.

I frowned, not seeing anything out of the ordinary in the courtyard in front of me. That still left the other side of the building, though, so I turned around, summoned a glyph and-

…paused…

I dismissed the glyph; I didn't need it to climb the ten or so feet until I got onto the roof proper. Instead, I leapfrogged off a nearby bench and scurried up onto the roof. I still wasn't as graceful as Ruby, but maybe I could be one day…

I frowned; I needed to find her first, and _then_ I could fantasize about having her physical abilities. I crawled to the roof's peak, staring out into the distance. I looked for a good few minutes, noting that the dorms had already cast a shadow onto the ground there.

I sighed; no, she wasn't outside. Just as I was about to give up and look in the next most likely spot, I spotted a light on in one of the library's private study rooms. I raised an eyebrow, knowing that the building itself was closed at this hour. I shrugged. "It's worth a look, I suppose…"

I slid down the roof, landing with a roll and heading towards the library. A few minutes later, I was completely unsurprised to find the front door locked. Instead of breaking it down, I skirted the building and peered into the open window of the study room in question.

Inside was my partner, her head propped up by a fist and oddly so absorbed in her book that she didn't notice me. I crawled through the window, landing with a quiet creek of the old floorboards. Still, she didn't react and, starting to worry, I gently squeezed her shoulder and sai- Found myself on the floor. "Gah!" I let out as a fist impacted my cheekbone. "Ruby, it's me!" I shouted.

Her half-lidded eyes snapped open. "Weiss?! What are you doing here?"

"Caring for my Oaf of a partner." I said, getting back up.

She sighed. "Sorry, you just… surprised me…"

"…That's not a reason to just punch me, you know." I rubbed my sore cheek. "You're lucky I managed to get my aura up in time. We both know what could've happened otherwise."

Her gaze trailed to the floor. "Yeah, I know…" She said, sounding ashamed. "Look, I just… I appreciate you checking on me, but I need to keep studying."

I crossed my arms. "You fell asleep, didn't you?"

"I was-" She yawned. "…meditating…"

I reached over and closed her book. "You're done for tonight." I said. She opened her mouth to protest, but I silenced her with a wave of my hand. " _How_ you've managed to not get a good night's sleep for three days and still remain _half_ as functional as you've been is beyond me, but augmentations or not, you're still _Human_. And that means it's bedtime." I said, feeling like a mother scolding her child.

"But Weiss-"

"Bed. Now." I said, glaring at the taller woman.

Her shoulders slumped, realizing that I wouldn't relent. "Fine." She said, walking over to the window and climbing out.

I glanced at the book she left, raising an eyebrow. " _Songs of the River: A Tale of Mirrored Eyes._ Huh." I said, picking up the tome and following my partner. I had to make sure that Oaf didn't wander off, after all…

* * *

/-\ Emanuel Witherson /-\

* * *

I yawned as I entered the bridge. "Commander has the bridge!" My XO said.

"Commander has the bridge." I repeated. "Anything interesting happen while I was asleep?"

He shook his head. "Nope; commsats are still doing their best to map the planet, but they aren't mapsats. It'll still be _months_ before we have a complete picture to work with."

"Well, no news is good news, sometimes. Alice, anything on your end?"

The female 19th century admiral she used as an avatar flickered into existence. "No sir, all clear on my-" She paused. "Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Someone is trying to hack our systems." She said.

I raised an eyebrow. "You seem… _calm_ about that."

"That's because whatever software they're using was most _certainly_ not designed to hack an AI-equipped UNSC warship. I've gotta give them credit, though, haven't seen anyone try to hack in through laser comms."

"Can you trace it?"

"Trying, but this guy's sneaky. He's using an array of lasers all around Vale and switching between them every half-second, so I can't really get a bead on- aaaand the attack's over."

I blinked. "What do you mean, it's over?"

"They stopped trying to gain access. Didn't get anything, either."

"Well, that's good. Keep me posted if they try again."

* * *

/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\

* * *

Professor Goodwitch stood in the center of the combat ring, steely eyes gazing over all of us as she pressed a few buttons on her tablet. Above her, the scoreboard began the randomization process, our portraits spinning like a slot machine. Eventually, it landed on two faces. "Weiss Schnee and Sun Wukong!" She shouted.

Both of us got up, but I didn't remain quiet; as was the plan. "Professor Goodwitch, if I may?"

She nodded. "Go ahead, Miss Schnee."

"I wish to issue a challenge to one Valkea Smith."

"Very well." She said, having been informed of this in advance. "Mister Wukong, do you accept Miss Schnee's wish to fight someone else?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

She nodded. "Miss Smith, do you accept Miss Schnee's challenge?"

A cruel smile crawled its way onto Valkea's face. "Are you kidding? I've been wanting to fight a Schnee for _years_!"

Goodwitch frowned. "Please do remember that this is a _friendly_ sparring match, Miss Smith, and that harming your opponent will have _severe_ consequences." She turned back to me. "In light of her statement, do you wish to retract your challenge, Miss Schnee?"

I shook my head. "No, Professor; I do not."

"Very well; both combatants are to proceed to the locker room."

We both nodded and did as instructed. Fortunately, our lockers were on opposite ends of the locker room, sparing me some awkwardness. If there was _any_ doubt left that Valkea was the spy, it just evaporated right before my eyes. Sighing, I began to don my new combat outfit.

First came the dress; similar to my original but primarily snow white. The hem, however, abruptly changed to ruby red, a ruffle accenting the change even more. Next was the bolero jacket, its features matching my dress. I then pulled up my white stockings, a pair of red-accented white combat boots going over them. Nearing the end, I fastened one of my pauldrons – the one bearing my emblem – to my shoulder; I tucked my cloak behind it, making sure my outfit would not be hidden.

I secured Myrtenaster to my hip, the cloak not concealing it in any way. On the way out, my hand brushed by the holster on my other hip; the one containing the revolver that the old Atlesian woman gave me. I gave a resigned sigh as I entered the arena; this was going to suck.

I raised an eyebrow at my opponent's absence from the ring; it seems I actually beet her here. With a shrug, I walked to the far side of the arena. Only a minute later, Valkea strode out of the locker room, chambering a round in her rifle as the bayonet gleamed in the artificial light.

She stared at me with unflinching hate in those mirrored eyes of hers. For a moment, I idly thought if this was the last thing many Covenant saw, but I shook my head and refocused on the plan. I drew Myrtenaster, idly twirling it to warm up my muscles.

"Are both combatants ready?" Goodwitch asked, to which we both nodded. "Very well. Three, two, one, begin!"

Her rifle blurred to a firing position, actually firing a split second later. I elegantly cut the bullet out of the air, doing it again only a moment after that. She was able to work the bolt on her rifle _extremely_ quickly, as if she'd been practicing for her whole life with that rifle. After I'd deflected the ninth round, the rifle let out a loud **-PING-** and a piece of metal fell to the ground.

Rather than replace the clip to keep plinking away at my rapier, she adjusted the grip on her rifle and charged me. I took a deep breath and waited for the inevitable. Normally, Professor Goodwitch would stop the fight here, as I obviously had no intention of fighting back, but she was _in_ on our plan. Meaning she did nothing.

A moment later, I was thrown to the ground by the sheer _force_ behind Valkea's charge. Even if the bayonet had deflected off my aura, it still _felt_ like I'd been stabbed. I rolled out of the way of a follow up stabbing, leaping to my feet in the same motion.

My opponent then, instead of using her bayonet for the third time, decided to bash my face in with her weapon's stock, whipping me around 360-degrees. The woman then elbowed me in the gut and sent a clumsy kick into my side.

I gasped but stood through the pain. For not the first time today, I wondered just why in the _world_ I'd agreed to this. Another punch landed in my gut, driving the air from my lungs as I collapsed.

My opponent backed off, quickly reloading then leveling her rifle at me again as I stood up. We stood opposite each other for a few moments, neither of us moving a muscle.

Eventually, she lost her nerve and lowered her rifle slightly. "Why aren't you fighting back?" She asked, her voice suspicious.

"Because the challenge was never about fighting." I said, spitting on the ground. "You've hated me since before we've met, and I have done _nothing_ to deserve it." I sighed. "So go ahead. Work out your frustrations." I sheathed my sword. "I won't fight back."

She growled, raising her rifle. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, waiting for the inevitable.

…

And waited…

…

I opened my eyes and saw my opponent just standing there, her weapon shaking in her hands. I saw her finger inch slowly into the trigger guard but stop _just_ short of firing the rifle. "Fight me!" She shouted.

I remained silent and unmoving, more than content to play my part in the plan.

She screamed in frustration, lowering her weapon before storming off the stage. I blinked. 'Did… did that actually work?' I thought.

The buzzer interrupted my thoughts. "Miss Smith has forfeited, making Miss Schnee the victor." Goodwitch said, unnecessarily. No one clapped or even did _anything_ to acknowledge the 'fight' was over. Instead, everyone in the audience sat in shocked silence at what had just unfolded before them.

I nodded to the Professor before turning on my heel and walking back to the locker room. Once I was in private, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself; I hadn't expected that to _actually_ work.

* * *

/-\ White Fang Infiltrator /-\

* * *

I popped up from my hiding place behind some crates. "You didn't have to kill him, you know…"

My partner got up and dusted himself off, flicking the guard's blood off his knife and into the snow. "Did you _really_ want a Human like _that_ on the loose?"

"No, but…" I sighed. "Just… maybe we could've snuck past him, Yuma?"

"We've been mapping out their patrol routes for days now, Ilia. You know as well as I do that he needed to die." He sheathed his knife. "C'mon, darkness is a-wastin'."

* * *

(A/N) Even though quite a lot has happened in this chapter, I don't really feel like writing much down here. Actually, I should _probably_ say that, while the shipping has started, it will _not_ become the primary focus of this fic.

With that out of the way, let's go straight to the reviews!

 **Sm0key Panda said – "That's a very specific, and extremely useful semblance for the young Ms Ironwood to have...**

 **Literally all she would need to do is put on Ruby's armour (and not move, since moving in it would kill her) and it would fix itself!**

 **...**

 **Why do I get a strong feeling that's exactly what's going to happen?"**

It is indeed useful, but as you mentioned, moving in the suit would kill her. I like the idea (it honestly never even occurred to me), but Chrys wouldn't be able to move a single muscle for fear of accidentally ripping herself apart. It's honestly too risky and I have an alternate means of fixing her armor on the way anyways.

Also, sorry about the helmet thing we talked about; there wasn't a good place to fit it in. I haven't forgotten about it, though.

 **Joeyginise said – "wait, Adam lived right? I can't remember its been so long. Also EVEN MORE PLOT. Why is Adam alive."**

Adam did, indeed, live. IIRC, it was because he managed to slip away after Rubes knocked him through a building. He did forfeit his weapons, though :)

 **Shadow Walker of Fire said – "Great chapter. Is there anything keeping Weiss, Blake, and Yang from enlisting in the UNSC?**

 **Blake: I have a bad feeling about this...**

 **Me: No feelings were harmed in the making of this scene, I mean chapter."**

There's nothing explicitly stopping them from joining the UNSC. Actually, I just realized Blake isn't 18 yet, so maybe that. Then again, I'd be surprised if the UNSC, this late in the war, DIDN'T lower the conscription age.

 **Guest 001 said – "So i have an So I have an interesting idea for Crescents rose Design for the sniper part using Forerunner Z-750 binary rifle and for the Scythe part can be made out of Hardlight Blade and it's made out of forerunner Alloy so it will be Nearly indestructable. Also can we have Aurora help upgrade Ruby and red Team armor to level 12 combat Skins made a forerunner Alloy at all just having them have hard light Shields and vacuum energy collectors the power suits would be awesome also Aurora can help Anders is personal pet project was to vacuum energy technology finish it because the forerunners all ready made it."**

A hardlight scythe blade isn't a bad idea, honestly. But the thing is that Aurora isn't all _too_ skilled with machinery. By Forerunner standards, she's pretty much just a hobbyist, so I doubt she'd know how to make Forerunner alloy from scratch.

 **Guest 002 said – "Will we get to see a certain Huntress whose Semblance allows her to tell if someone is lying!? Could Aurora perfect the Aura Transfer Technology!?"**

Possibly on both counts. I doubt Aurora would just flat-out _know_ how to perfect it, but another mind certainly wouldn't hurt the research effort.

 **bigbossHayden98 said – "So when Summer shows up will Tai React to her return Well he fraint like where He saw ruby or something else happen. And at some point will the cat ride the Dragon and a new Rose will Bloom."**

That, my good friend, is a spoiler :)

 **PoofyOhio said – "I personally have a hard time believing Qrow actually thinks Yang is dead. He knows how Ravens semblance works, so that would also mean he knows she cannot just send someone to death/the afterlife. So is there a proper explanation for what in the hell compels him to think she's actually dead? Or is it just a thing which slipped your mind? Perhaps I forgot something from a previous chapter."**

The explanation was that he didn't know the specifics of her """death""". Funnily enough, the conversation we had following your review actually got me thinking about this again and that's the primary reason why this chapter turned out the way it did.

 **Guest 004 said – "So i just read the comments and forerunner based Crescent rose Weapon sounds Awesome so yes you should make it it will be cool as hall and the level 12 combat skins go for it hard light shield awesome Vacuum energy collector go for it awesome. So Ruby Weighs 250 pounds is that counting Her augmentations as well and what is the height of Weiss Blake and Yang at and what is there weight at and Finally what is Remanent gravity at how Much is it at."**

Not quite sure why you're interested in the heights/weights of the cast, but they're pretty much their canon selves in that regard; Weiss is 5'0" without heels, Blake is 5'6" and Yang is 5'8". I honestly don't know their weights, but Remnant's gravity is exactly Earth-standard (9.8m/s/s).

 **475213 said – ""Maybe try going further afield"**

 **They gods are Precursers, aren't they?"**

Maybe try going further afield :)

Aaaand that's all for this chapter! Again, I don't have a name for next chapter yet because I've gotten behind on the whole planning thing, so… I'll see you guys next time!


	25. Eyes Up, Guardian

(A/N) Another one that's later than I hoped it'd be, but this is also quite easily the longest chapter of Volume 2 (7.4k words), so hopefully it balances out. There are a couple of announcements to kame before the chapter, though. Firstly is that I've put up a poll on my page about how I'll be doing review responses from here on out; second is that I _did_ actually draw Valkea (even if the drawing isn't the _best_ ) so there'll be a link at the end.

With that out of the way, enjoy!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Nine – Eyes Up, Guardian

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I sat in one of Beacon's many gazebos overlooking Vale, the occasional airship passing through my field of view. I sighed, looking down at the rose emblem I held and was about to speak to it when I heard a soft knock at the door. "Come in." I said, not bothering to stow the memento.

"Hey kiddo." My uncle greeted, plopping down on the bench next to me.

"Hey, Qrow." I said, relaxing my posture. "So, what're you doing here?"

His eyes glanced down to the emblem before a sad smile crawled onto his face. "Y'know, your mom used to come here when we were still in school." He said.

"I can see why." I said, pausing for a moment. "How's dad taking the news?"

"That his wife and daughter are alive? Wonderfully. He's started doing things he hasn't done since… you know." He said. "Little things that always bugged her but never really bothered him; things like oiling the door hinges, sealing drafty windows, y'know..." He smiled for a moment, but then his face turned serious once more. "But one thing I've gotta ask… do you know when they'll be back?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "No idea. You said mom disappeared the same time I did, right?" He nodded. "Well… that means her and Yang probably aren't on Remnant anymore…"

He raised an eyebrow. "So? You found your way back."

"Yeah, but I honestly have _no_ idea how I did. It was probably the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me." I gazed down to the emblem. "Here I am, sitting on my ass at school while they're probably in the mud fighting against the Covenant. Or worse, they're just eeking out an existence on some uncharted planet." I sighed. "All alone." An even darker thought wormed its way into my mind; one where they were captured by _them_ and-

I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. Looking to its owner, I saw the concerned expression on Qrow's face. "…I'm sure they're just fine." He said, patting me on the shoulder before letting go. "But as much as I'd like to sit here and think about them all day, I wanted to ask you something."

I motioned for him to continue. Not really feeling like talking at the moment.

"Oz's sendin' me on a mission, a _long_ one, and I'm leaving tomorrow." He pushed off the bench. "So, I was kinda wonderin' if you'd like to go to Vale with me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Got something in mind?"

"Not really." He lied, evenly. "Just wanna spend some time with my niece." He said, truthfully.

I looked at my watch before shrugging. "Eh, sure, why not. Guess it beets sitting here moping all day." I said, hopping up. "Ready when you are."

I sent a text to Weiss as we headed out, knowing she would inform the rest of the team where I was if need be. Qrow nodded, leading me to the airdocks. As we crossed the courtyard, I couldn't help but notice the occasional student stare at me. This had been happening since I started teaching and it was seriously starting to get on my nerves.

I was used to the stares when I was _in_ my armor, but without it… I sighed, hoping that they would start minding their own business eventually. Thankfully, it wasn't long before we boarded the shuttle to the city. We sat down, the drone of a newscaster present in the background. "So, what are we doing?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Just hangin' out. Maybe got to a store or two."

"No offense, but I kinda hate shopping."

He smirked. "I've got a feeling you'll be fine with thi-"

" **BREAKING NEWS!** " The tv interrupted, causing us to both look towards it. " **Our correspondents in the Valerian Council Building have reported that the council have received a missive from the Council of Mistral. The kingdom in question has announced that they are officially closing their borders, effective immediately."**

* * *

/-\ Cinder Fall /-\

* * *

I screamed in rage, my entire body erupting in flames. "THEY DID _WHAT_?!" I shouted at my subordinate.

Emerald grimaced. "They… they closed the borders, ma'am."

I closed my eyes, still seething in fury, as I tried to get my powers under control. "Tell me. Are Haven students still allowed to attend the Vytal Festival?" I asked through clenched teeth as the flames receded back into my skin.

"I… I don't know, ma'am."

I exhaled through my nose, my breath coming out as steam. "Fetch me my Seer. _Leo_ was supposed to _prevent_ this from happening. I need to _remind_ him of his _duties_ to us."

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

Several people gasped in reaction to the news; others broke out into hushed whispers.

" **The Mistralian Council has stated in the missive that they have, quote, 'come to the conclusion that their people will be left alone if none of them aggravate the aliens', unquote.** "

"They're just sticking their heads in the sand?!" I shouted, drawing a few glances. My head fell into my hands. "Atlas didn't provoke the covvies and look what happened to _them_." I muttered, tuning out the rest of the broadcast.

"So what do you think they will do next? You've certainly got the most experience out of anyone here." Qrow asked.

I shrugged. "They'll attack again; there's no doubt about that."

"That's not exactly comforting…" He muttered.

"Witherson's probably doing what he can to get us prepared for that." I said, attempting to reassure him. 'But there's only so much a single world can do…' I thought as I relaxed into my chair.

* * *

/-\ Emanuel Witherson /-\

* * *

The duo of Warthogs that carried my bodyguards and I came to a halt just outside the perimeter of our destination, a gate guard coming up to the lead vehicle. Some papers were exchanged, along with some words that I was too far away to hear correctly, before we were waved through the now-open gate. As we passed the gatehouse, I noticed a good-looking sign that stated the company's name; The Prismarine Airship Company.

We passed a gigantic pit on the way to the main building, a bulbous ship with four equally incomplete wings dangling down into the abyss contained within. I'd estimate the pit to be approximately one-hundred meters long, the ship's incomplete hull maybe a dozen meters shy of that on each side.

The building we were approaching was L-shaped, the protrusion branching the airship pit with the other, elongated portion. Soon enough, we arrived at the grey building and were greeted by a small security detail; all of them open-carrying either a pistol or a shortsword.

My Marine detail disembarked first, keeping their rifles in their holsters but keeping their heads on a swivel. Next, both myself and the Misriah engineer I'd brought with were quickly ushered inside. When we'd taken in that small civilian shuttle back on Reach, I thought the men and women on it would be a burden. I was glad to be proven wrong, as the half-dozen engineers aboard proved _especially_ capable of maintaining our parasite craft.

Back to the present, the guards we'd brought with were mainly for security to and from the factory, so I left them in the lobby. After a brief introduction to the plant's supervisor and chief engineer, the four of us were led to a catwalk overlooking the production floor. The cavernous room was easily three stories tall and even had several massive ceiling-mounted cranes, though despite how impressive it was, most of the factory floor itself was barren.

Sure, there were three active assembly lines, but there was room for a _lot_ more. I crossed my arms. "Might I ask, Mister Quicksilver," I started, addressing the Prismarine supervisor. "why does your facility have so much empty space?"

He shook his head. "Ah, that is simply because airship demand hasn't been what it used to be during the Great War."

I hummed. "Well, I have a feeling you'll be getting quite a bit more business than usual." I turned my attention to the Misriah engineer beside me, whose eyes darted from machine to machine below us. "So, what do you think of the whole operation?"

"I think its basic by our standards, but workable." He said. "Yeah, probably wouldn't be able to make Pelicans or Albatrosses right off the bat, but I can see Falcons and Hornets rolling off these lines pretty quickly."

The supervisor raised an eyebrow. "I'll have you know that Prismarine airships are among the finest in the world."

The Misriah engineer gave him a deadpan look. "My colleagues and I have looked at the Bullhead schematics you've sent us and, with all due respect, they're… _underwhelming_ at best." He said continuing before the Prismarine men could retort. "Don't get me wrong, I like its cargo carrying capacity and the durability, but it only has six passenger seats, light armament, can be outrun by _helicopters_ , and is more expensive – in terms of material – than _three_ Falcons."

Both of the factory's representatives stood there speechless, and I wondered for a moment if he'd just took a revolver and shot our entire visit in the face, but then he opened his mouth and _continued_. "Which is why we at the Misriah Armory Corporation would like to lend you some assistance in designing a new, more capable light aircraft that could better serve the needs of both Vale and Remnant as a whole."

The Prismarine employees stood silent for a moment, before excusing themselves to an office nearby. I looked to the Misriah engineer. "Do you think they'll take it?"

He shrugged. "Probably." He said. "I know if the roles were reversed, I would."

"Let's hope so. We'll be needing a _lot_ more equipment for the war than what we brought with us."

The engineer nodded. "Definitely." He paused. "Wait, weren't we supposed to visit other factories today?"

I pulled up my datapad. "No, just this one for today, though the council is working on getting us in with Thornycraft shipbuilding as well as some tractor company by the name of Steele Company."

He raised an eyebrow. "A… tractor company?"

I nodded. "Turns out, a lot of the equipment needed to make tractors can be used to make tanks, too."

Before we could continue the conversation, our hosts returned, their faces neutral. "Gentlemen," the supervisor began. "when do we start?"

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

Eventually, after walking for quite a while, Qrow tapped my shoulder. "We're here." He said, turning left abruptly and heading into a shop. I blinked, recognizing the place, the déjà vu only being compounded when a familiar blacksmith looked up from the counter.

He smiled. "Qro-ho-how! Good to see ya!" His eyes trailed to me. "Oh, and good to see you too, ma'am! How're your weapons and armor holding up?"

My uncle and I shared a glance before shrugging. "Didn't know my niece did business with ya, Vulk."

"She's your niece?" He asked, surprised. "Can't say I see the family resemblance, but oh well. What brings you two to my shop today?"

Qrow leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "Well, we're here to get the girl a nice deadly weapon." He said with a smirk. "Y'know, usual uncle-niece things."

I gently tapped Onyx Rose on my back. "This one's pretty reliable. Why do you think I need a new one?"

"Well… back in the uhh…" He cupped his mouth conspiratorially. "the _one_ place…" He whispered. "you mentioned that all you needed to kill entire _armies_ of those things up in Atlas was a gun, a knife, and a good scythe." He smirked. "Well, you've got two of those things, and I figure it wouldn't hurt for you to have the whole set."

I hummed. "Well, I can't think of a reason why _not_ ; getting more weapons is always a good idea." I said.

"That's the spirit, kiddo. So, what're you thinkin'?"

I paused in thought. "Well, most of all, it needs to be _reliable_." I said. "So that means very limited mechashift capabilities; Onyx Rose is enough of a pain to maintain already." I shrugged. "Plus, if I keep carrying all my weapons, that leaves room for this to be a specialist weapon."

The blacksmith looked up from the counter, writing down what I was describing. "Sounds easy enough, any special features?"

"Well, scythes have long handles, right? Why not use it for a sniper barrel. I could really use one of those."

He scribbled down something. "Alright, so a scythe with a built-in sniper and no mechashift mechanisms. Do I have that right?"

"Ye-" I paused, cutting myself off with a hum. "Actually, how much would it compromise the integrity of the weapon if we added a joint that allowed the scythe head to collapse against the barrel, and for the barrel itself to be partially retractable?"

Vulk laughed. "Ma'am, as far as huntsman weapons go, that'll still be the strongest weapon I'll've made in a good while. I mean, look at your uncle's Harbinger, or even your own weapon!"

I nodded. "Alright, it's settled, then. How much do I owe you?"

Qrow stepped forward, his hand waving. "Actually, Ruby, I've got this."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You don't have to buy it for me if you can't afford it."

"Pfft, afford it, she asks." He chuckles. "Kiddo, I know for a fact that Beacon's stipend isn't enough for you to afford this. Plus, thanks to you and Winter tellin' me Short Stack and Firecracker are alive, things are finally lookin' up for me. So I guess I feel like I owe you this much, at least." He smiled.

I shrugged. "Alright, if you want to buy it for me, I guess I won't say no."

He flashed me a smile before going up to the counter to settle up with the blacksmith. Unfortunately for me, he seemed to feel the need to haggle the price somewhat, and I was forced to awkwardly wait while he and the smith hashed out the details.

At least I didn't have to pay for it…

* * *

I walked away from my uncle's temporary room, just having said goodbye to him after our little outing. I checked the time and shrugged; I had enough time to get one more thing out of the way before supper. With that thought, I strode towards Winter's dorm.

A few minutes later and the door creaked open, revealing my unofficial teammate. "Can I help you, Ruby?" She asked.

"Yeah, is Chrys here?" She raised an eyebrow before stepping aside and motioning to a bed behind her, the woman in question playing on her scroll while laying down.

"Yeah?" The Maiden asked, putting the device down.

"Can I come in? I've… got a favor to ask. A couple, actually."

She sat up. "Sure, what do you need?"

I strode inside, closing the door behind me. "Well, the easier part is that I want you to use your semblance to fix up my helmet." I said. "If you can do that, that is."

She raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't work on inanimate objects; only machines." She said. "But out of curiosity, why not ask for the full set?"

"Well, the inanimate part won't be a problem. The helmet alone is probably more complicated than some aircraft." I crossed my arms. "What _would_ be a problem, though, is if you tried to put on my armor. Which I think you need to do, if I recall correctly."

She nodded. "Yeah, I would. Why, what would happen?"

I shrugged. "Oh, you'd only rip yourself apart." I said, drawing a confused glance from both occupants of the room. "MJONIR, that's the technical name for my armor, works by amplifying reaction speed and strength. That means that every minuscule, _involuntary_ twitch your muscles makes gets amplified. So say you put on the suit and want to snap a salute to your superior officer, but you're not used to the reactivity and you break your hand on your helmet." Their faces wrinkled in distaste. "But it doesn't stop there, because you _flinch_ from the pain of breaking your hand… which gets amplified and breaks _more_ bones, which causes you to flinch even more, and so on until enough of your vital organs get punctured by bone fragments that you die." I crossed my arms. "So yeah, I'm not going to ask you to put _that_ thing on."

They both stared at me, mouths agape. "But…" Winter started. "How in the world are _you_ able to wear it, then?"

"Because I've got augmentations that increase my reaction speed and coat my bones in carbide ceramics. I can handle it."

"What do you mean by 'augmentations'?" She asked.

I shrugged. "I mean just that; my body was augmented to be better. I'm stronger, faster, more durable, and quicker on the draw than just about any Human that has ever lived." I paused. "But we're kinda getting off track, so about the helmet…" I trailed off, looking at Chrys.

"It won't do… _that_ thing, will it?" She asked.

I shook my head. "The helmet is just about the only part of the armor that's safe for everyone to wear."

She shrugged. "Well, I guess I don't see why not. I mean, my semblance doesn't need any actual _effort_ to work, so I'll just wear it to sleep or something."

"Sounds good, but there's one more thing I need to ask of you."

She raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I need to learn how to fight Maidens."

They both blinked. "Might I ask why?" Winter asked.

"Because of people like _Raven_." I said. "She might not've actually _killed_ Yang, but she's still a bandit and she'll need to be put down. _Especially_ with the kind of power she has." I crossed my arms. "And that's not even counting the whole _Amber_ situation."

Winter hummed. "You're not wrong; perhaps _I_ should ask the same favor."

Chrys laughed nervously. "I mean… I'm not _that_ good with my powers. I don't even know if I could take both of you on at once."

"Then fight us individually." I said. "It's better practice for us anyways."

She sighed. "I mean, I'm not _all_ that much better than Amber, to be honest."

I crossed my arms. "Her assailant didn't get all her power. If we can beat _you_ , then _they_ should be no problem. Plus, if you really aren't that much better than her, this is good practice for you too."

She stayed silent for a moment, lips pursing in uncertainty. "Where would we even spar? The training rooms are under 24/7 surveillance and anyone can just… _walk_ in during a match."

"What about the vault?" I asked, keeping my voice quiet. "We could ask Ozpin if we could practice there; there's even more room down there than in one of the sparring rings."

"It seems logical to me." Winter said. "Will you be inviting the rest of your team? Minus… _you-know-who_ , of course."

I paused for a moment before shaking my head. "They might be good, but if _I_ got thrashed around against Raven, they won't stand a chance." I crossed my arms. "Maybe when they're older and have more experience under their belts, but not now." I glanced back at Chrys. "So, sound like a plan?"

She sighed. "…I guess I can't always expect to be in the air. I'm in."

* * *

/-\ Pyrrha Nikos /-\

* * *

"What are you doing out here, Pyrrha?" I heard, causing me to jump slightly.

I shook my head, looking to the source of the voice before putting on my patented Champion's Smile. "Oh, I'm just waiting for Jaune, Blake." I said.

She raised an eyebrow. "And you're dressed up because…?"

I blushed. "I'm not _that_ dressed up…" I said, gesturing to dress. "But… we're going out, actually."

She gave me an incredulous look before shrugging. "Well, congratulations." She said, lamely, as she disappeared into her team's dorm.

Almost in sync with Blake's disappearance, my own partner opened the door beside me. "Alright, I'm ready." He said, looking somewhat dorky combining a regular polo shirt with his school uniform's tie. "So umm… why do I have to dress up, again?"

"Oh, it's because the place I have picked out is…" I trailed off, trying to find the right words to describe it. "…not quite high-end, but also not really your average pizzeria either."

He blinked. "Didn't you say we were going to a café?"

I blushed. "Well… maybe I just wanted to dress up a little…"

"Eh, I guess I've heard worse excuses. Anyways, let's get going. I dunno about you, but I'm starving!" He said with a smile.

I chuckled, still nervous about today, before leading him onwards. We made some small talk before the flight, though he was a little apprehensive boarding the airship. Thankfully, I'd thought ahead and handed him two little yellow tablets. They appeared to work, as he wasn't hunched over the garbage can the entire time, but he did still feel a _little_ woozy.

Soon enough, we walked through the city towards our destination. I was still getting used to the… _new look_ of the streets. Ever since Atlas fell, the number of homeless people within the kingdom skyrocketed; inhabited cardboard boxes, campsites, discarded trash, all were _much_ more common now than before the Fall. And that's discounting the actual people themselves. Most dressed in what were obviously once ornate suits and dresses, but now adorned gashes and scuff marks from combat; things that such finery was never meant to handle. Some even had blood-stained rags or cloth scraps tied around their wounds.

Eventually, we reached the quaint little café I'd found last semester. The exterior was the same as I'd remembered, save for the fact that a large man now stood beside the door. His shirt didn't have to say 'Security' for me to know what his job was. He gave us a glance as we approached, muttering a polite greeting before opening the door for us.

There wasn't a receptionist, so I flagged down one of the waitresses. "Hi, I have a reservation for… Nikaea?" I said, using my alias. People wouldn't bat an eye at 'Nikaea'.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're the one who actually made a reservation? Uhh… sure, follow me." She quickly led us up to the roof section where a pre-set table awaited us, menus and all. "I'll give you two a few minutes to decide." She said as we sat down.

I breathed a sigh of relief, turning to my date. "Just curious, have you ever been here?"

He shrugged, pouring over the menu. "Eh, not really. You?"

"A few times, yes." I said, chuckling. "They're nice here, if a little unobservant." 'Though that's a bonus to me…' I added mentally.

"Oh? Well, what's good, then?"

I smiled. "Well, they make a pretty good gyro, but personally, I've been thinking about their lamb stew since breakfast." I said. It wasn't a _lie,_ per se, I had thought about it since breakfast, but it wasn't my main concern about this date.

"A… you-row? What's that?"

I giggled. "It's a sandwich, Jaune. The composition varies from place to place, but here they use lamb, tomato, onion, and a yogurt sauce on pita bread."

He stared at me blankly. "Yogurt… on a sandwich?"

"It's surprisingly good." I said, shortly before a different waitress approached us.

"Are y'all ready to order?" She asked.

I nodded. "Indeed. I'll have a medium order of lamb stew with a side of-"

" **ATTENTION!"** I heard someone shout over a loudspeaker. All three of us looked over the edge of the roof and onto the street, finding the speaker perched atop a double decker bus with men stationed at each corner. All the figures wore green trenchcoats and had swords at their hips; a golden six-pointed star on their chests confirming them as VDF Rangers.

" **Atlesians!"** The speaker continued. **"The council of this fine kingdom has heard your plea, and a way out of poverty has arrived!"** A number of homeless people perked up, some walking closer to the bus. **"Some of you may have heard that the council has gifted a parcel of land to the United Nations Space Command outside the kingdom; they have expressed a great wish to settle these lands but lack the manpower to do it properly. That is where** _ **you**_ **come in!"** He paused, allowing the whispers amongst the growing crowd to die down.

" **We are all aware of the uh…** _ **job shortage**_ **, here in Vale. But** _ **outside**_ **the kingdom? Where the UNSC are? That, my friends, is a land full of opportunity! The UNSC does not care if you're Human or Faunus, just that you desire a life away from the gutter!"** A few people started cheering in the crowd, though it seemed most were still uncertain. **"So come with us! We will take you to a place where you will be fed, clothed, and given warmth in preparation for your new lives!"**

As the speaker put down his megaphone, several people walked out from the crowd and headed into the bus. All three of us stood and watched silently for a few minutes as people, in their ragged clothes, began scrambling towards the promise of a better future. Oddly enough, a lot of Humans were stopped by the Rangers standing guard at the bus's doors and turned back, none of the Faunus being given the same treatment.

"That was… interesting…" The waitress behind us said, causing us to turn back to her. She cleared her throat, putting on a simile. "Anyways, where were we? Oh yeah, what'll you have, mi-" She blinked. "Hang on a minute, are you Pyrrha Nikos? _The_ Pyrrha Nikos?!"

My heart sank at the mention of my name. "Indeed, I am." I said, instantly dropping into PR mode.

The girl squeed; actually _squeed_. "Oh my gods, I can't believe you're _here_! I'm, like, your biggest fan!"

I smiled, resigning myself to meeting another one of my quote-unquote """biggest fans""". Hopefully the media wasn't around to hear that…

* * *

I yawned as we entered the dorm building, the sun long having set while we were out on the town.

"Yeah, I'm beet too." Jaune said. "Hey, d'ya think Ren got Nora to go to bed early today?"

I chuckled. "I'd sooner believe Grimm were peaceful." I paused as we got into the elevator, gripping my arm across my body. "I… had fun tonight…" I said weakly.

He laughed. "Pyrrha, I'm not _that_ dumb." He said, causing me to stiffen. "I mean, c'mon, as soon as the waitress figured out who you were, you stiffened up and acted like you were reading from a script. Then you did it for the next one, and the one after that, and then that old guy who used to be a huntsman, and then-"

"I get it, Jaune." I snapped. My hands flew to my mouth. "I'm sorry…" I said as the doors opened. "I just… is it too much to ask for _one_ day where someone doesn't recognize me?"

He hummed. "Well… maybe we can try again?" He asked. "I mean… if people keep recognizing you in the city, why don't we have our partners day in the forest?"

I froze in my tracks. 'Is he… asking me out on another date?' I thought. "I mean… I'd love to, but then we'd have to deal with the Grimm." I chuckled darkly. "I'm honestly not sure which is worse; them or the paparazzi."

He blinked. "Oh, no! I mean the one on _top_ of the cliffs. The one Ruby takes us through in the mornings."

"Well in that case… that sounds grand!" I said, a genuine smile crossing my lips. "When were you thinking?"

He hummed. "Well… we don't get our next stipend until Sunday and we'll have to go buy the groceries, so… next weekend?"

My heart sank a little, realizing immediately that I may not be… _me_ at the time. But there was a _chance_ that I could still be, so I smiled and said, "That sounds grand, Jaune. It's a date."

"Yeah, sure. A da- wait a minute." He paused, his hand just about to grip the doorknob. "A _date_ date?"

I blinked. "Umm… yes?" I let out. "Isn't that what we just went on?"

"That was a _date_?!"

* * *

/-\ Blake Belladonna /-\

* * *

I closed the door behind me, leaving Pyrrha to wait for her date. While I waited for them to leave, I plopped down on my bed and plucked a book off the shelf at random. I wasn't actually going to read anything, I just needed to look busy while I thought of how I was going to approach the girl currently curled up in her bunk above me. She'd been in here since Goodwitch's class a few hours ago, all of us deciding to let her cool down alone for a while. Though, I had a feeling that Ruby was watching her somehow; wouldn't want a likely spy to have free reign over Beacon, now would we?

After only a minute or two, my Faunus ears heard Jaune and Pyrrha start heading out. I sighed internally; now was the time. I got up, put my book away, and turned to the girl in question. "Valkea?" I asked, shaking her bed slightly. My enhanced hearing picked up the girl muttering about our other teammate. "Valkea, Weiss isn't here. It's just me."

She paused a moment before slowly sitting up, her mirrored eyes full of fury. "What do you _want_?"

The venom in her voice gave me pause. 'Ugh, why did _I_ have to do this, again?' I thought before sighing. "I'd… like to get to know you a bit better." I said, only half-lying. I was certainly curious, but if Ruby and Weiss hadn't told me to talk to her, I'd've contented myself with watching from afar.

She studied me for a moment. "…Why?"

"Because if all goes well, we'll be on the same team for the next three and a half years. I'd like to know if I can count on you." Saying that felt sour on my tongue, and I _purposefully_ did not mention her being my partner. That was _Yang's_ position and I won't replace her; _especially_ not when she's on her way home.

She stayed silent for a moment, contemplating my words. "Fine." She finally let out, dropping down from her bunk. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, actually… if you don't mind… I'd like to go somewhere a little more private."

She crossed her arms. "If this is your idea of coming on to-"

"I'm straight." I said with a faint blush. "What I meant is that sometimes… the walls have ears." I twitched my Faunus trait. "For instance, Team CRDL is down the hall speculating about what's under your mask."

She paused. "…I see your point." She said, tersely, as she hopped off the bed and grabbed her rifle. "Just don't try to kidnap me again. I _will_ shoot you if you do." She reached towards the door to open it.

"Wait." I said, giving her pause. "That team down the hall is pretty racist; I'd rather avoid another confrontation."

She raised an eyebrow. " _Another_ confrontation?"

"Ruby broke their leader's arm when he grabbed a Rabbit Faunus by the ears." I said, knowing that if she was part of the White Fang, she'd likely approve. I saw surprise flicker over her face for a moment before she nodded. I moved to the window. "This way will be less confrontational. And faster."

A moment later and I was on the ground, my landing about as noisy as a pin drop. Valkea's, however, was more akin to dropping an anvil. I glanced at her a moment, noting that her specialization was definitely _not_ infiltration, before leading her into the forest. Specifically, in the exact _opposite_ direction of the bunker; I wasn't leading a spy anywhere _near_ the team's safehouse.

After only a few minutes of jogging through Beacon's surrounding forest, we arrived at the place I'd stashed Gambol Shroud. I slowed to a standstill, trying to make it _seem_ like I'd randomly picked this place, before holding up a hand and listening intently for eavesdroppers. After a moment, I nodded. "This should be far enough; just keep your voice down." I said, leaning against the tree that I'd hidden my weapon in.

She crossed her arms. "Alright, so what'd you wanna talk about?"

I sighed. "You know who I am, so it shouldn't be a surprise that I was in the White Fang."

Her posture shifted. "Are you still in?"

I shook my head. "I never really agreed with Sienna's methods, but I _did_ stick with them for a few years after my father stepped down. Actually, I left about a week before Beacon started, last semester."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why? She only cares about the good of the Faunus."

I nodded, the possibility of Ruby being right about her growing by the word. "I know she does – I wouldn't've stuck around so long if she didn't – but her violence… it only turns the Humans against us."

"Are we supposed to just lay down and _accept_ their racism, then?"

I paused. "I… I don't know." I finally said. "I _know_ what Jacques Schnee does is wrong and there're people that _can_ stop him, but don't. Maybe there _is_ an acceptable level of violence, but I know for a fact that Sienna takes it too far." I shook my head. "Maybe other cells are different, but _Adam_ takes it beyond even what _Sienna_ thinks is acceptable."

"Adam? The one in charge of the Vale chapter?"

I nodded; any suspicions of her loyalties firmly settled. "Do you know what he did on our last mission?" I asked, rhetorically. "It was supposed to be a simple job; hit an SDC train for its dust and then the rest of the cell would help carry it away. Then after we hit the first car, he changes the plan and wants to blow up the train. I asked him 'what about the crewmembers' and he just asked, 'what _about_ them' with a scoff." I sighed. "So I detached the car with him on it and ran away. I couldn't be a part of murdering people that just wanted to get home to their families."

We stood in silence for a moment. Valkea's eyes darted side to side, her posture shifting unconsciously. "You… you know there were racists on that train, right?" She asked, weakly.

I shrugged. "Probably, but there were also innocent workers on there. They'd already lost their cargo, a _lot_ of AK-130's, and an experimental spider droid. Nobody needed to die to make our point."

"Nobody needed to die? What about on _our_ side? The Schnees have killed _thousands_ of us!" Her eyes welled up with tears, but she wiped them away. "Including my own parents…" She glared at me. "I won't let the Humans push us without pushing back. And I'm _certainly_ not going to be friends with that _Schnee_ you've buddied up with."

"Valkea…" I let out, sighing. "I'm… I'm sorry you had to go through that, but fighting the Humans this way will only make things worse for us." I pushed off my tree. "For every Human the White Fang kill, that's another family that doesn't have their father or mother or son or daughter come home. Do you _really_ want to inflict what's happened to you on other people?"

She stood shock still for a moment. "I…" She muttered, but didn't continue the thought, instead opting to pace throughout the clearing. Finally, after several minutes, she stopped and faced me, but did not look me in the eye. "I won't forgive the Schnee…" She said weakly.

"Just get to know her." I said. "If a Belladonna and a Schnee can make up, I'm sure you can too."

She raised her head and tried to glare at me again, but her gaze didn't linger long. Instead, she wordlessly turned around and walked out of the clearing. She didn't go back the way we came and I briefly entertained the thought of following her, but ultimately decided it would be better to leave her be. Once my enhanced hearing couldn't hear her footsteps anymore, I smacked the tree next to me and caught my weapons out of the air as they fell. I sheathed them as I walked away, a part of our conversation sticking in my head.

'What _is_ the right way to achieve equality?'

* * *

/-\ Pyrrha Nikos /-\

* * *

I lied awake in my bed, having woken up some time ago. Tomorrow… _today_ was Monday, and the headmaster expected my answer to his question of 'do you want to maybe die by having someone's soul shoved into yours?' I shivered; the thought still _disgusted_ me, but…

I sighed, getting up for _another_ glass of water just as I'd done a few times during the night. I walked silently, retrieving my drink and returning to bed a moment later. Just as I sat down on my mattress, the alarm on my scroll started going off. With yet another sigh, I shut it off, the others slowly getting up.

"Uuuugh, it's Monday already?" Nora said, yawning. "Reeeeen, rewind time!"

He shook his head, smiling fondly. "I can't do that, Nora." They bickered good-naturedly at each other for a few minutes before Nora disappeared into the bathroom. Meanwhile, I just sat on my bed.

I felt someone sitting next to me. "Hey, you alright, Pyr?"

I sat there for a few moments, trying to force the words out. "I… Ye- N-" I paused. "Just… a lot to think about, I suppose…"

"Is it about what happened on Friday?"

"No… not really…"

He scooched a little closer to me but didn't actually touch me. "C'mon, somethin's buggin' you, and Doctor Jaune's here to help."

"I am available too if you need me, Pyrrha." Ren said from the corner of the room. "And I'm sure Nora would lend you an ear as well."

A sad smile crawled onto my face. "You guys are the best teammates I could've ever asked for." I said, a solitary tear rolling down my cheek. "Have I ever told you that?" They stood silent as I wiped away my tear. "I… I can't tell you what's bothering me. Hopefully someday… but not now."

"Pyrrha… something's really wrong, isn't it?"

I nodded silently.

"Well… is there anything I can do?"

"…I appreciate what you're doing, but…" I sighed. "Just go get ready. I have a feeling that I'll be taking a longer shower than usual this morning."

He gave me a worried glance, but slowly got up and started going through his morning routine. A few minutes later, Nora stepped out of the bathroom and I took her place. As it turns out, I was right, and only a firm knock on the door telling me we were going to miss breakfast got me out in time to eat.

Even though I had absolutely _no_ intention of going to class, I still put on my uniform, though it was a bit less orderly than I usually kept it. In addition to not caring about class, I also just… _couldn't_ with my hair this morning and ended up just leaving it down.

My teammates kept shooting me worried glances as we walked throughout Beacon's grounds to get some semblance of a meal before they left for Port's class. "Ah, Miss Nikos." I heard as we entered the dining hall. "The headmaster will see you now."

I sighed. "Missus Goodwitch… can I please just eat one last meal with my team first?"

She pushed her glasses back into place, weighing my request. "Fine. But as soon as you're done, come to the office." She said before walking away.

"Sheesh, what was _that_ about?" Jaune asked.

I played with the hem of my skirt, pretending not to hear him. Soon enough, we all sat with our meals in front of us. I ate _slowly_ , savoring each and every bite of bacon, waffle, and crepe that I took. Eating wasn't the only thing I did, though; I looked at my friends, taking in each and every single detail of their faces.

Ren had a _very_ faint scar running from his chin up all the way to his left eye that I'd never noticed before. Nora's eyes were ever so slightly different colors; one almost _imperceptibly_ bluer than the other. Jaune's ears weren't level with each other; the one on the left a little higher than its partner. And, of course, Team RWVB (minus their newest member) were here as well. Looking closer, I noticed Blake's ears tended to twitch at the _slightest_ noise, though the movement was subtle. Weiss, while she had the scar over her eye, also had a smaller one (just as invisible as Ren's) that extended down from her bottom lip. Ruby's eyes, meanwhile, almost _glowed_ with an unseen power.

Far too soon, we finished up our meal and had to leave. Before we did so, however, I grabbed my partner by the jacket and pulled him off to the side. He gazed at me with a deeply _concerned_ look in his eyes, but I silenced any words with a finger on his lips. "Jaune…" I started, my voice cracking. "I… I might not be the same when you see me again." I paused, doing my best to hold back my sobs. "Just… help me remember who I am… please…"

I buried my face in the crook of his neck, allowing myself just a _moment_ of rest before pushing off him and running away. I quickly ducked behind a corner, allowing him to run past me before shakily heading off to the headmaster's office.

Goodwitch was waiting for me in the lobby and escorted me upstairs. I took a deep breath as the doors opened, spilling us out into the room where Ozpin awaited. He sat at his desk, chin resting on his hands. "I would say 'good morning', but, well… I highly doubt this has been one for you, Miss Nikos."

"You would be correct, Headmaster." I said.

He sighed. "Have you made your decision?"

I nodded. "My choice remains the same. I will become your Fall Maiden."

He remained silent for a moment, his face impassive. "I see." He said in a grave tone before rising from his seat. "Let us get underway, then. There is no sense in delaying any further."

"Right." I said. "I'll… follow your lead, Headmaster."

He nodded wordlessly, leading us back to the elevator. We all stood in silence as it descended into the depths of the earth. Too soon, the doors opened and released us into the dimly lit vault, and too soon did those _disgusting_ pods come into view.

As I approached them, every fiber of my being began to pull me in the opposite direction; it was almost like my own semblance was pulling me away like the weapons I'd so often manipulated. Ozpin approached the control panel, tapping a few buttons and causing the unoccupied pod to swing open with a hiss.

But I just… _couldn't_ will myself to take the final step. I didn't want to, but I knew I _needed_ to. Suddenly, Ozpin spoke up behind me. "There is still time to change your mind, Pyrrha." He said. "No one will fault you for walking away from this."

My gaze lowered. "If Ruby can so willingly give herself to become Humanity's sword and shield… then so shall I." I said before finally summoning the strength to actually step into the pod. Before I knew it, the door had closed on me.

"Are you ready, Pyrrha?" He asked, his voice muffled by the pod. I silently nodded after a moment's hesitation. "I… need to hear you say the words."

"…I'm ready, Headmaster." I said, closing my eyes…

…only for them to shoot wide open mere moments later.

It felt like a thousand knives were piercing every square inch of skin; like something was _forcing_ its way both past and _into_ my aura at the same time. My body, long hardened from over a decade of hard training, physically curled up from the pain.

I screamed.

* * *

(A/N) And it seems Pyrrha has made her decision. There were a _lot_ of hard scenes to write (especially the date one) but that actually wasn't one of them. Turns out, Konungens Likfärd is a great song to listen to while writing about someone who thinks they're marching towards their death.

I know I promised to show the result of Nora's Nevermore-wrangling expedition, but, honestly, that's better suited as an omake, which I haven't written yet. When it's done, I'll put it at the end of whichever chapter I'm writing next, but you'll be able to see it earlier on the SB version of this story (along with an ONI dossier that I'll be writing on the VDF Ranger Corps). This is just simply because SB allows people to make a distinction between an actual chapter and an omake (instead of FFN's "Everything is a chapter whether you like it or not" approach).

Lastly, don't forget to vote in the poll and here's the FFN-friendly version of the Valkea drawing. I have to do this because this site is stupid and will exterminatus any links it sees, so yeah, just remove the spaces and you're good to go. imgur gVVsBOh

Anyways, onto the reviews! Though I think I'm going to try guest-only again because _boy_ are there a lot of them.

 **Guest 001 said – "Watts just met his match! Wish we could see him try to explain this failure to Salem! The wait for Spirit of Fire to arrive is KILLING ME!**

 **At least they know that Yang and Summer are alive!"**

Maybe another omake is in order. Goddamn, that's what, like 5 I've said I'd write now? I should really get on that.

 **Guest 002 said – "Spirit of Fire will be able to fix Ruby's armor!**

 **Have you read up on all the new UNSC Halo Wars 2 units, cause I would REALLY like to see the Mark 2 version of the Cyclops Mech to replace the now lost Paladin Suits!**

 **Speaking of which, we have yet to see ANY Paladin suits in Volume 7, why is that!?"**

I have read up a little on them, as a follower and fellow author sent me quite a detailed breakdown of all the UNSC HW2 units. Some of them will be included, but others not. I do have other plans for the successor to the Paladin program, though.

That… is a very good question. Maybe Atlas discontinued their development after the Beacon incident? Maybe they didn't want to waste them on Mantle? Idk, there're many possible answers.

 **Wolffang said – "This may come of a little cold but I'm kinda glad that atlas fell not because of the people dying but what the surviving Atliesians could learn from this failure because let's face it most of them are arrogant as hell hopefully the UNSC can and probably literally beat the arrogance out of them plus this invasion saved Ironwood from going mental."**

It is a little cold, but as Roman Torchwick says "The _real_ world is cold!" And you're completely right that basically any sense of Atlesian supremacy was taken out back and shot in the face repeatedly. Even someone as fanatical as _Cordovin_ would start second-guessing their opinions if their supposedly great and invincible kingdom fell in ~8 hours.

 **Guest 003 said – "It is too bad that Winter can't see the same videos the WBY saw for the Fall Of Reach, it would give her A LOT of context!"**

Indeed it would, but yeah, I don't feel like rewriting FoR; one reaction fic is enough for this lifetime.

 **Guest 004 said – "So the the Forerunner based Crescent Rose can still be made just Aurora Heralds Infinity will not do much but Resplendent Notion shud know how to make Forerunner alloy so the Hard light based Scythe blade and a Z-750 binary rifle for the Sniper part. Also you could have Constructor Sentinels help out with making it as well help fix the spirit of fire and all other just shut like the rods paved in red and ruby armour as well Assembler Sentinels a shit ton of them and to Finley one Retriever Sentinel to get the stuff they need to make it."**

Maybe in the future the as-of-yet-unnamed scythe will get upgraded, but there won't be any Sentinels coming to Remnant. Also, aside from the slipspace drive, the _Spirit_ isn't actually damaged in this AU, as the CPV-class sent to destroy it was preemptively neutralized by Summer and her Freddy Krueger expy.

 **Michael said – "Nice chapter, and congratulations hoping to see more in the future"**

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed this one too!

 **Firewyrm2 said – "Haven't read the new chapters yet but I seriously want to see some flashbacks of interactions between Ruby and Master Chief (perhaps she could see him as a mentor). Also, I'v learned that only the Elites left the Covenant (they don't join up with humanity until Halo 3 though), I honestly think it will be hilarious to see Ruby's jaw drop at the news. Finally, why haven't the Drones (the 7th and final race of the Covenant to be introduced) appeared yet?"**

They haven't had very many interactions over the years, but I'll think about it. Oh, she'll find out about the Schism eventually, and yes, it'll be fun. I originally had something planned for them to make a hive under the ruins of Atlas, but that kinda got scrapped with that arc. They might show up and they might not, it just depends.

* * *

Aaand that's all for this chapter! I do, actually, know the name of the next one this time, so I'll see you all in 'Through Passing We Achieve Immortality'.


	26. Through Passing We Achieve Immortality

(A/N) Aaand here's the third chapter in a row that's late… yaaaay…

I don't have much else to say up here except to say thank you to those who voted in the poll; it ended with 11 voters (1 for guest reviews only and 10 for continuing on as I have been). So yeah… enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Ten – Through Passing We Achieve Immortality

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I paused on my way to class just after I'd left the mess hall. Pyrrha had done a pretty bad job of hiding the fact that something was wrong this morning, and I'd caught her several times just staring at us and her teammates. Then again, knowing the decision she had to make… I couldn't exactly blame her.

What gave me pause, however, is that she pulled Jaune away from the group. "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up." I told the four others around me. They nodded, used to me doing things like this by now. A moment later, I was standing off to the side of the dining hall. I didn't have to wait long for a tear stricken Pyrrha to run past me, a very concerned Jaune on her heels.

She ducked out of sight, allowing him to run straight past her, before she composed herself and marched herself towards the Headmaster's office. She walked right past me but was so distraught that I doubted she'd notice anything short of a boulder in her path.

I pushed off the building, leisurely walking towards where Jaune had run off to. As I predicted, he doubled back, his previous concern having morphed into genuine fear for his partner. "Ruby!" He shouted, running up to me. "Pyrrha just… she just ran off! We've gotta find her!"

I crossed my arms. "I'm sorry, Jaune, but I can't let you do that."

"What do you _mean,_ you can't let me do that?!" He shouted. "She's been acting weird all morning and then pulls me away after breakfast and just starts talking crazy! Ruby, I think she's having a mental breakdown! She might… she might _do_ something!"

I shook my head. "I know exactly where she is right now. Trust me when I say she won't get the chance to hurt herself." I sighed. "She's just got some… _issues_ Ozpin is helping her with. She'll be back before you know it."

"…Issues?" He asked, his voice still fearful.

"She wouldn't tell me what they were, but I'm sure she'll be back soon." I lied. "When she does, though, she might need some cheering up. Do you think you can do that?"

"I…" He sighed. "I've just got this feeling that something's _really_ wrong, y'know?" He said, pausing for a moment. "But you haven't been wrong before… so I'll trust you." He laughed uneasily.

I kept my expression schooled. "Good." I said, already planning for the fallout. "Let's get to class, then. Wouldn't want to be late."

* * *

/-\ _ /-\

* * *

My eyes fluttered open, blearily recognizing two figures hovering above me. "She's coming to." The woman said.

"H- hello?" I asked, my voice sounding _completely_ foreign.

"Are you alright, Miss Nikos?" The man asked. I started to sit up, just now realizing I was laying on the ground. The woman tried to stop me, but Ozpin cut her off with a wave of his hand. I looked around, confused, for a few moments before he spoke again. "Do you know where we're at?"

I turned to him, brows furrowing in thought. "I believe this is… the vault?" I said. "It sounds right, but might I ask what it contains? No, what it _contained_. Past tense."

He frowned. "How much do you remember?" He asked, not answering my question.

I paused in thought. "I was afraid." I finally said. "We were descending in an elevator after I'd given that girl an ap- no wait, that was an illusion. The little girl disappeared and then we were in the elevator, then I ran from a Nevermore while a Deathstalker covered our-"

"That is enough, Miss Nikos." The woman said.

I quirked an eyebrow. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because that is your name." She said. "You are Pyrrha Nikos. Do you not remember?"

My lips pursed. "That… doesn't sound right." I said. "Well, it does, but it also does not."

"I see…" Ozpin let out. "Is the name Amber Autumn more accurate?"

I paused in thought. "It does ring a few bells…" I said before shaking my head. "But no, that doesn't sound right either. You said my name was Pyrrha Nikos?" He nodded. "Then that is the name I shall use; at least until this mess gets sorted out."

"Very well." He said, frowning. "For what it is worth… I'm sorry to have put you through that ordeal."

I blinked. "Ordeal?" I asked, shortly before my eyes widened in recognition. I remembered being afraid; feeling like I was about to die but _choosing_ that death so others wouldn't have to face the same fate. I remembered climbing into a pod and then… nothing. I turned around, still sitting on the ground, and saw the pod sitting a few feet away, the machinery sparking intermittently.

"I see you remember now." Ozpin said, drawing my attention. He sighed. "There is one thing I must know, however… did it work?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hold out your hand." He said, softly. After a moment's hesitation, I did so. "Focus on your palm; picture a small flame there. Feel the fleeting yet loving warmth as it wraps around your fingers. Picture the flame's blueish depths gradually shifting to yellow then orange as it travels away from your body."

With how detailed he was, it wasn't difficult at all to picture what he was describing. Strangely, I felt… _something_ deep within my body shift. A small stream of energy flowed from my chest, down my arm, and out my palm, where tiny embers began to gather.

He sighed in relief. "That will suffice. Thank you, Miss Nikos."

I stopped picturing the flame, the river of energy flowing backwards to its source in an instant. "It's… strange." I said. "It felt like I'd done that a hundred times."

"You are not too far from the truth, Miss Nikos." He said, standing up. "Do you think you can walk? We have much to discuss, and there are far more comfortable places than a concrete floor in this academy."

* * *

/-\ Jaune Arc /-\

* * *

I glanced at the door for seemingly the thousandth time this class and still found myself wanting. I tapped the desk impatiently, completely unable to follow Port's ramblings. Glancing at my teammates, it seemed that they were in similar positions. Nora chewed on her pen while Ren stared blankly at the Grimm posters in the background.

Team RWVB was… not quite _calm_ , but they weren't exactly panicking either. That new girl didn't seem phased, but then again, she probably didn't even notice Pyrrha was missing. Weiss and Blake did occasionally glance at the door but were otherwise able to pay attention for the most part. Ruby, though… she seemed completely unconcerned with what was going on.

It was kinda unsettling, to be honest. I sighed under my breath. 'Maybe I _am_ thinking too hard about it…' I thought. 'But still… I just can't shake this feeling.'

" **ATTENTION!"** The intercom suddenly boomed. **"Would Team JNPR as well as Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Blake Belladonna report to the Headmaster's office? Again, Team JNPR, Miss Rose, Miss Schnee, and Miss Belladonna to the office."**

I blinked, looking around for a moment before gathering my things and heading out with my friends. "So…" I began. "What do you guys think this is about?"

Ruby shrugged. "I don't know." She said, evenly.

Suddenly, Ren spoke up. "They called Team JNPR; not all of us individually." He said. "This might involve Pyrrha, too."

"Actually, you're probably right." I sighed. "I just hope she's alright..."

We walked the rest of the way to the office in silence, eventually reaching our destination. I smiled in relief when the elevator doors opened and revealed my partner. "Pyrrha…" I said, rushing forward and enveloping her in a hug. She stiffened and didn't return the embrace, causing me to pull back after a few moments. "Pyrrha? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, but… have we met?" She asked. I stared at her, so completely caught off guard that I couldn't speak. She squinted. "I… feel like I've met you before but can't place where. I _am_ having a few memory issues as of late, though."

"I'm afraid that what Miss Nikos says is true." A voice said. I turned towards it, just now noticing Professor Ozpin sitting at his desk.

"What's going on?"

He stood up. "Something which we are not at liberty to discuss, I'm afraid."

I physically recoiled. "What do you _mean_ not at-"

"Mister Arc, please." He interrupted. "Allow me to explain." I crossed my arms, making a 'get on with it' motion. "Thank you. Now, forces that are bigger than most people in this room are at work. Unfortunately, fate determined that Miss Nikos had a part to play in its infernal game. There were… _unforeseen_ consequences to her acceptance of her role."

"Besides memory loss?" Ruby asked, oddly calm.

He shook his head. "Fortunately, that seems to be the only side effect as of right now."

I sighed angrily. "Is she… is she going to get them back?"

"Things are coming back… slowly…" My partner said. "From what I can tell, what memories I _do_ have are quite… disorganized. Tell me who you are. It might jog my memory."

"I'm… I'm Jaune Arc. Your partner."

Her brows furrowed for a moment. "Jaune…" She said slowly. "Wait, are you the clueless one?"

My jaw dropped. "Wha-"

Ruby burst out laughing. "Yeah. Yeah, he is."

I blushed. "I'm not _that_ clueless…"

"Jaune, Pyrrha's liked you from day _one_ and you-"

" _Ehem_." We all turned towards Ozpin. "As much as I understand you _are_ teenagers, we really do have more pressing matters to discuss." He said. "Now, I have given Miss Nikos the rest of the week off to recover and I will be extending that same courtesy to the rest of Team JNPR in hopes that you help her." He paused. "Team JNPR, you are dismissed. Please lead Miss Nikos back to your dorm, as I doubt she remembers the way."

"You would be correct, Gran- err… _Professor_."

I glanced at her, confused, for a moment before shrugging. "C'mon, let's head back, Pyr."

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I waited until they'd gone to speak again. "So, what was _that_?" I asked.

"One of the late Amber's quirks." He said. "In her last few years, she'd taken to calling me her grandfather, though I still do not know why."

Weiss rested a hand on her hip. "So it was at least _moderately_ successful, then?"

He nodded. "She does, indeed, possess the Maiden's powers. Or at least what her assailant was unable to take."

I hummed in approval. "Alright, how much did you sugarcoat it?" He raised an eyebrow. "I want to know any more downsides that might come up between now and… _whenever_. Just to be prepared."

"While I understand that to be a wise strategy, I'm afraid I do not have any more information to give." He clasped his hands behind his back. "In all my years, I've never seen it turn out like this." He muttered.

I raised an eyebrow. "Implying that you've seen _similar_ situations."

He froze for a moment before sighing. "I suppose it would only be a matter of time before you found _that_ out as well." He said. "To segue into the answer… have your friends told you the Story of the Seasons yet?"

"The one with the old man and the maidens that's basically the mythicized version of the Maidens' origin?" He nodded. "Yes. They've filled me in."

"Well what if I told you… that _I_ was the old man in the story?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'd tell you that's impossible because that was hundreds or possibly _thousands_ of years ago. Now how is this relevant?"

"It may be impossible for a single Human life…" He said, ignoring my question. "…but what about _multiple_ lives?"

"Reincarnation?" Weiss asked.

He nodded. "I… well, to put it simply, I am cursed." He said. "My body may be only slightly older than yours – relatively speaking – but my soul?" He sighed. "I stopped counting at a thousand. The calendars have reset several times since then."

"And how do we know you are not simply lying?" My partner asked.

"That is a very good question, Miss Schnee. I suppose you will simply have to take my word for it, though my expertise on the matter of soul merging should be proof enough."

"So _that's_ where you were going with this." I said.

"Indeed." He said. "Every time I die, my soul automatically seeks out a like-minded companion and, for a time, my soul and theirs inhabit the same body."

Blake blinked. "The Man With Two Souls…"

He nodded. "Penned by a dear friend of mine who has since passed. While he did… _embellish_ a tad, it is based on true events."

Weiss cleared her throat, cutting off our teammate's visible fangirling. "You can pick his brain later." She said, before turning back to him. "I'm assuming the whole 'two souls, one body' situation doesn't last forever."

"You would be correct. Once I regain 'consciousness', for lack of a better term, my soul automatically begins merging with my host's." He sighed. "It can take anywhere from months to years, but it is inevitable. And most certainly _not_ my ideal scenario."

I crossed my arms, eyes narrowing. "So what _is_ your ideal scenario?"

He ran a hand across his face tiredly. "Honestly? For me to have stayed dead the first time. Before any of… _this_ happened." He shook his head. "But that is irrelevant, and we can only look forward from here on out. On that subject, Miss Rose, I am approving your request. On the condition that Miss Nikos is included in your little sparring sessions."

Weiss blinked. "Wait, wha-"

"Done, but don't change the subject." I said. "How is Pyrrha's soul merging thing different from yours?"

His face remained neutral. "First of all, it is _much_ faster than any I'd experienced." He said. "That in and of itself isn't bad, at least as far as I am aware, however… the memory loss is new."

I raised an eyebrow. "So you've never forgotten _anything_ from your soul merging with someone else's?"

"Nothing more than the Human mind would normally forget." He said. "This situation is… unprecedented. Though the stakes called for drastic measures such as these, I wish we did not have to resort to them." He sighed. "We should hope that her memories are merely disorganized, but there is a very real possibility that Pyrrha Nikos as we once knew her… is no longer with us."

* * *

/-\ _ /-\

* * *

The journey back to the dorm was… _awkward_ , for lack of a better term. Each one of us remained silent for the entire time. I chose to pass the time by looking around, slightly intrigued by the looks of this place but more so, I was interested in scratching that _little_ itch in the corner of my mind whenever I looked at certain places.

That itch seemed strongest when I looked at a random balcony on the student dorms, though I have no idea why or even _what_ it was trying to tell me. However, the itch I'd felt while looking at that _paled_ in comparison to when we finally reached the dorm.

I shook my head at the door, trying to clear… _something_ from my mind as Jaune opened it. My teammates gave me a worried glance.

"I'm… fine…" I said.

"I- If you say so, Pyr…" He said before leading us inside. I paused just inside, scanning the-

* * *

A girl bounced on the bed, happily eating pancakes as her companion tried to get her to stop.

* * *

-room…

I blinked, continuing to survey the room until my eyes landed on- "Nora?"

The ginger in question perked up. "Yeeeeeeeeessss?" She asked, practically teleporting two inches in front of my face.

I flinched slightly before stepping away. "Is… is that your name?"

She deflated slightly but kept her megawatt smile. "Uh-huh!"

I stayed silent for a moment, at a complete loss for what to say. "Umm… that was all." I said, lamely.

The girl hummed for a moment before she suddenly lunged for me. I tried to spin out of the way, but quickly found myself hoisted into the air and thrown onto a bed. I started to stand up and-

…suddenly found myself pinned down.

I laid there for a moment, unsure of what to do while my other two teammates stood still. The ginger was hugging me. It felt… _nice_ … Something in the corner of my mind told me to return her embrace; that the ginger- that _Nora_ was a friend. A dear one.

I slowly did, cradling the smaller girl in my arms. After a few moments of staying like that, she released me and sat up, pulling me along with her. I readjusted my uniform, which was slightly disheveled, and glanced around the room. All my teammates were giving me worried looks.

"Pyrrha…" The blon- _Jaune_ started. "What… what happened to you?"

My gaze fell to the floor. "I'm afraid I can't really say."

"But _why_?" He asked. "You've been acting weird all morning, then you go and pull me away from the group and tell me-" He stopped, eyes going wide. "…to help you remember who you are…"

My eyes squinted in concentration. "I don't seem to remember that."

"Well, it's what happened." He said, matter-of-factly. He brought his hand to his chin in thought. "Do you remember what happened on Friday?"

I paused in thought. "Some vague feelings, yes. Sorrow, relief, shock, nervousness, but most of all… _joy_." I said. "I don't remember anything about the actual events themselves… just how they made me feel."

"We went on a date."

* * *

"Hi, I have a reservation for… Nikaea?"

…

"A… you-row?"

I giggled. "It's a sandwich, Jaune!"

…

"Oh my gods! I'm like… your biggest fan!"

…

"So… next weekend?"

"That sounds grand, Jaune. It's a date."

* * *

I blinked, finding myself to be sitting ramrod straight on th- _my_ bed. "…We did…" I let out.

"You remember now?" He asked.

"Somewhat." I answered, causing his smile to droop slightly. "Flashes coupled with emotions, but very little in the way of solid memories."

"Well… do you remember what happened at the end?"

"You asked me on a second date." I responded instantly.

He chuckled. "Yeah, even if… no, that doesn't matter." He muttered. "Well… whaddaya say we move it up a bit? We've got the week off, so... tomorrow for lunch?"

I thought about it for a moment before shrugging. "I don't see why not."

"Great! Let's switch into our regular clothes and then we'll go shopping for the food."

The other guy (Ron? Ran?) cleared his throat. "Actually, Jaune, it… may not be wise to have her leave Beacon in her…" He paused. " _condition_."

I blinked. "Might I ask why?"

"It's because there is a high likelihood of someone recognizing you." At my blank look he pulled out his scroll, showing it to me a few seconds later. Pyrrha Nikos refuses summons to Mistral! The first headline read. Pyrrha Nikos has a SECRET LOVER! The next claimed. Pyrrha Nikos: Expecting?

"…I think I'll stay here." I said, not wanting anything to do with whoever wrote… _that_. "If that's alright with you."

Jaune shrugged. "Yeah… that's probably a good idea. Hey Ren, can I uhh… get your help with that, then?"

He glanced at me. "If Pyrrha thinks she can handle Nora while we're gone."

I glanced at the ginger, who was busy staring unflinchingly at the wall. "Actually… I was planning on going to sleep soon, anyway."

They stared at me for a moment before shrugging. "If you say so." Ren said. I nodded and went over to the dresser to- "Wrong one."

I blinked. "I'm… sorry?"

"You share a dresser with Nora; it's the one on the other side of the room."

"Top half's mine!" She shouted, causing me to flinch slightly. I quickly walked over to the other dresser and retrieved some pajamas, ducking into the bathroom to change.

The first thing I saw in there was a face; _my_ face reflected in the mirror. I walked up to it, setting my clothes on the sink, and began getting an _actual_ look at myself; the first I could remember. I just… _stared_ for a minute, still not entirely believing that I was looking at _myself_.

A small part of me screamed that I _wasn't_. The skin should be a shade darker; the eyes should be brown along with the hair; the chin shouldn't be that pointy. That small part of me had a perfectly constructed image of what I _should_ look like. A different, yet equally small, part of me took one look at that image the other had constructed and threw it out in its entirety, telling me that what… _who_ was staring back at me in the mirror was correct.

I sighed, a thousand questions running through my mind. 'Maybe I'll get some more answers tomorrow…'

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I exited the elevator, coming into Ozpin's office. "My, that was quick, Lieutenant Commander." He said, sitting at his desk with Goodwitch and Ironwood at his side.

I shrugged. "Witherson already had me coming here to ask you something. I was right outside the building when I heard the announcement."

"That would explain it." He said before gesturing to a pot on his desk. "Coffee?"

"I won't say no to that. Got any cream and sugar?"

He nodded, producing them from under his desk. I quickly sat down and poured a liberal amount of cream in, plus five sugar cubes. He raised an eyebrow but didn't say what was clearly on his mind. "Why don't we address what the good commander has to say, hmm?"

I took a sip of my coffee. 'A hell of a lot better than the shit I got in the UNSC…' I thought before turning to him. "Oh, he wants to know if you can spare any experts on your tech. We recovered a hard drive from Atlas a while ago but haven't been able to make it talk to our computers. He thought that maybe an electrical engineer would be able to help with that."

"I'll see what I can do. Is there anything else?"

I quickly checked my datapad. "N-" It dinged. "Well, speak of the devil, I just got new orders." I said, opening the file. "Alright, he wants to know if there's some time the UNSC can hold a PR rally."

"I'm afraid it's beyond my purview, though I can put in a request with the council on his behalf."

"Much appreciated." I said, continuing to read the document. "Wait… that can't be right, he wants me in my armor. The thing's way too busted to actually work."

He raised an eyebrow. "If it's a PR event, does it _really_ need to be functional? Or can it only _look_ functional?"

I blinked. "Actually… yeah. It doesn't _need_ to work. I've already got Chrys working on the helmet with her semblance. All I'd need for the armor would be some plastic, a torch, some paint, and maybe some sandpaper."

He nodded. "All of those can be found in the school's workshop. Is there anything else the commander needed?"

"Nope, that's all he had. So why'd you call me up here?"

"Two things." He said. "Firstly… how is Miss Nikos doing?"

I shrugged. "Haven't seen her all day, but since Nora started screaming about her eye being on fire this morning… probably not very well." I said. "Jaune would probably know more, though, seeing as they're probably dating at this point. At least, that's what I _think_ is going on… I don't exactly have much experience in that field."

"I'll make a note to consult him." He said.

Ironwood cleared his throat, gaining out attention. "We still need to deal with our morale problem, Ozpin."

"I was getting to that." He said before addressing me directly. "Lieutenant Commander… I'm sure you've realized by now that spirits are… _low_ in Vale. And I sincerely doubt you haven't seen what consequences _that_ has on this planet."

I crossed my arms. "So you're looking for advice on how to improve the citizens' morale." I said, less of a question and more as a statement. They nodded. "You'd probably be better off asking a spook from Section Two, but I know a few tricks. First and foremost, we need a _victory_."

"And how do you propose we do _that_ , given what the Covenant did to Atlas? We don't know when, where, or even _if_ they'll show their faces again." Ironwood asked.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be against _them_. Just a victory." I said. "But they'll _definitely_ be back. Once they find a world, they won't rest until every single Human on it is nothing but dust in the wind."

They were silent for a moment, taking in what I'd said. "So this victory you mentioned…" Ironwood started. "What did you have in mind?"

"Gimmie a minute." I said, pausing in thought. I sat there, mentally trying several different strategies until I found one that could work. "The Grimm have been pushing us hard since the invasion started. We need to drive them back from the city walls and kill as _many_ as humanly possible. We'll record it and give the highlight reel to the news; things that show young huntsmen and huntresses killing Grimm after Grimm and not suffering any injuries."

Ironwood hummed. "While I like the thought of it, where do you propose we get the manpower? The VDF isn't equipped for that kind of offensive, and both the rangers and huntsmen are already spread too thin."

"If the Grimm didn't invade Atlas, it wouldn't've fallen when it did. Because of that, we can't afford to be picky; we just need them _gone_. The students at Beacon will be enough."

"You want to send _students_ on a mission like this?!" Goodwitch shouted. "Some of them haven't even gone out in the field _once_ yet!"

My face remained impassive. "I know a lot of them aren't ready for it, that's why we pick and choose who will come. We'll use the top ten first years, top thirty second years, top half of the third years, and _all_ of the fourth years." 'They'd have a better chance than _we_ did at Pegasi Delta, after all…'

"But they're _children_! They _aren't_ ready for this."

I crossed my arms. "The covvies won't wait until they are." I said, darkly. "We need the Grimm _gone_ , and this is the only thing shy of orbital bombardment that'll do the trick." I turned to Ironwood. "How many Atlesian students made it here?"

"Not many. A hundred-and-fifty out of six-hundred."

"We'll need all the help we can get with this op. How many do you think could handle it?"

He sighed. "The ones that _did_ make it are some of the best Atlas Academy had to offer. Anywhere from a hundred to one-twenty-five."

"That brings us up past three-hundred." I said, turning to Ozpin. "It's your call, Headmaster."

He remained silent, chin resting on his hands in thought.

"You can't _seriously_ be considering this, Ozpin…" Goodwitch said, earning no response. "Ozpin, they're _children_!"

He sighed. "I do not see another alternative, Glynda." He said, taking a long sip of his coffee. "The Lieutenant Commander is correct; Atlas wouldn't've fallen if the Grimm hadn't intervened. The same thing cannot be allowed to happen here." She opened her mouth to protest but was cut off. "I dislike this turn of events as much as you do, Glynda, but this situation is more desperate than _any_ I've seen before. Please put in a request to the council for Grimm heatmaps, they would be a great assistance in planning this offensive."

She scowled. "Yes, Headmaster." She ground out before getting up and leaving.

"If you need logistical support, the UNSC can probably help with that as well. An Albatross can carry a surprising amount of food and ammo."

"I'll keep that in mind, Lieutenant Commander." He sighed. "I hope _she_ comes around…"

"You know she will." Ironwood reassured.

The room stayed silent for a moment, but I had more to say. "There is… another thing that needs to be done."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "I hope you do not mean to suggest that we divide our forces."

I shook my head. "No, this requires a bit more of a… _delicate_ touch." I said. "We've been getting reports that the White Fang are being increasingly paranoid about their operations. Our agent says that they're compartmentalizing information and she can't find out much more without raising suspicion."

"That is worrying indeed. I assume you have a plan to counter it?"

I nodded. "If someone were to… _accidentally_ let some valuable, yet coincidentally _false_ information slip into the hands of a known spy and then trail them to wherever they went…" I trailed off.

Ironwood caught on immediately. "The spy might lead them to a new source of information…" He paused. "I'll assign Specialist Schnee to assist you in any way she can, Lieutenant Commander."

"Not that I don't appreciate the gesture, but I work better on my own for this kind of thing."

"Very well, Miss Rose." Ozpin said. "Please keep us appraised of whatever you find."

* * *

/-\ Valkea Khan /-\

* * *

I listened intently from my bunk; the team having turned out the lights almost two hours ago. I'd been laying still, struggling to stay awake, for the entire time, waiting for the right moment. I'd been hearing only my teammate's breathing for the last few minutes, so I very quietly rolled over to check on them. Across from me, Ruby lay facing away while the _Schnee_ slept peacefully below her.

 _How_ she could manage that, I had no idea, but it was a moot point. I carefully peered over the edge of my bed and saw Blake also sleeping, a book pressed up against her chest as an ear flicked. I took a slow breath, holding it as I quietly crept down from my bed. I inched my way towards the door, grabbing my rifle and go bag on the way out.

I slowly let out my breath as the door clicked shut behind me. I wasn't out of the woods yet, but I was closer. There was no way in _hell_ I'd get away with changing into my regular clothes in the dorm's bathroom, so my first destination was the communal shower. I doubted anyone would be using it and half-to-midnight, anyway.

I was correct, and a few minutes later, I was well on my way to the camp. As I walked through the courtyard, I debated on which location to go to. I _could_ go to the one in the Industrial district, as it was the nearest, but that safehouse had very little of anything going on and was primarily a recruiting ground.

Another alternative was the one deep within the Emerald forest, but _that_ one was several dozen miles away from the city and I wasn't sure if I could make it there and back in time for my little outing to go unnoticed. That left only the Forever Fall base. I nodded; that one even had a long-range antenna…

I shook my head; it was usually the branch's leader's responsibility to contact the High Leader. 'But then again… I technically _am_ the leader of the Atlesian branch. Not that it _exists_ anymore…' I thought, bitterly.

I pulled a map out of my bag, one with _very_ rough coordinates on it. The were so rough, in fact, that they weren't coordinates at all; they were just circles drawn on the map with red marker. I did the basic orienteering required to figure out a vague direction and slid down Beacon's cliff into the red forest. It wasn't long before I found a path going roughly the direction I needed to go and set off at a light jog, allowing my mind to wander slightly while still keeping an eye out. This _was_ Grimm territory, after all.

As I traveled, my thoughts eventually drifted to Adam, and Blake's obvious dislike of him. Sienna made it _abundantly_ clear that everyone unarmed or surrendering were to be spared. In fact, while she encouraged violence itself, she hated lethal force and absolutely _abhorred_ it when it was _unnecessary_. "Do what you must, but no more." I said, repeating the mantra she'd drilled into my skull.

I wanted to believe that Blake was just making up stories about him to discredit the White Fang, but something about the _way_ she said it… Even if she'd buddied up with a _Schnee,_ I couldn't just write it off. I blinked as another thought came to me. 'Was Adam _so_ bad that he drove a _Belladonna_ to run to a _Schnee_ for help?'

I shook my head. Grimm territory was certainly _not_ the place to be thinking about this shit. I tried to force myself to think happy thoughts, but honestly… I drew a blank. 'What _do_ I like doing?' I asked myself, now realizing that nearly every waking moment was dedicated to the White Fang in some way, shape, or form. The only thing I could think of that could even _tangentially_ be considered not explicitly for the cause was hanging out with my sister…

…who was Sienna Khan. High Leader of the White Fang.

I shook my head, brows furrowing slightly. 'Who cares if that's all I wanted to do.' I dismissed the entire line of thought, instead thinking on what to say to Sienna when I called her. I checked my watch; it'd be around lunchtime for her now since she's still in Anima.

Soon enough, I neared the rough location of the compound. I stopped for a moment, changing out my bandana for the Grimm mask that I kept in my go bag. Unlike the ones most of my brothers and sisters wore, this one was the full-face variant that extended past my chin.

Soon enough, I found a rock with our mark engraved into it; two slashes in the form of a 'V' with another one leading upwards from the center. I nodded to it, tipping up the rock to find a laminated piece of paper beneath with exact coordinates listed.

Pulling out my map, I saw that they weren't far away and headed there as well. After less than twenty minutes, I was being stared down by a quartet of guards, all adorning the same mask and uniform identifying them as true freedom fighters.

"Who are you?" One said, arms crossed. "I haven't seen you around before."

"And you won't; I'm on a mission from Lady Khan herself, and I require the use of your communications array."

They stared at me blankly for a moment before one of them turned to another. "Hey uhh… why don't you go get Adam? I think this is above our paygrade…"

That one, a Goat Faunus, nodded and scurried off. I didn't _really_ know what to do after that, so I just stood there awkwardly. Ten minutes of agonizing silence later, and a familiar edgelord rounded the corner.

He eyed me warily, a hand instinctively drifting to his waist where a sword sat. "I'm told you're on official business from High Lady Khan." He said. "Come in, we'll discuss it further."

I nodded, following him inside the small compound. The base itself was only a few buildings; a large main one surrounded by smaller shed-sized structures dotted along the wall. One of those sheds, however, held a large antenna array. However, he took me into the main building, quickly shutting the door behind us once we were inside a room off the lobby.

He crossed his arms. "Speak." He commanded.

"As I'm sure you remember-"

" _Today_ , please."

I blinked. "Very well. I'm our spy for Beacon and I'm here to make my report to Sienna."

He studied me for a moment, face unreadable behind the mask. "Fine. I'll take you to the communications room where you can make your report to both her _and_ myself." The Bull Faunus led me back outside and towards the antenna shed. I was kinda put off by how _rude_ he was, but I suppose I probably woke him up or so-

"OWW!" I heard someone shout. Whipping my head around, I saw a glimpse of someone on the roof; a man wearing a white coat and bowler hat holding a rock. "Which one of you ani-" He was quickly pulled down and silenced.

I turned back to my guide. "What was _that_ about?"

"It was _nothing_." He insisted, practically dragging me towards the radio shack. Soon enough, we were inside the dimly lit shed, the only thing of note were several computers haphazardly bolted to the floors and/or walls. He strode up to one, pressing a few buttons before motioning me forward. "Be quick, I have many important duties to see to."

I raised an eyebrow under my mask but couldn't follow up before a person on the other end picked up. The otherwise blank screen flashed to life, revealing someone I didn't know. "Connect us to Lady Khan, I have an urgent report for her." I said.

The person nodded and a few moments later, was replaced by the visage of my sister. "Valkea." She said, her expression schooled. "Your report?" I could see the happiness in her eyes, but completely understood the need to keep her face neutral.

I bowed. "I have been told to keep my report brief." I said, subtly glancing at Adam. "So I shall simply state that the situation has changed in Vale, and requires your personal presence."

She raised an eyebrow, but Adam cut off any response she may have had. "That will not be necessary, High Leader." He said. "My men and I are perfectly capable of handling the situation _without_ your intervention."

She frowned. "If your men are so capable, then surely you wouldn't object to my presence at a rally. Morale _is_ important, after all…"

"I simply mean to say that your time may be better spent elsewhere, Lady Khan."

She crossed her arms. "'A leader who does not make time for her men shall find herself in command of cowards rather than soldiers.' An old proverb, but appropriate in this instance." She said, nodding. "I shall arrive in exactly one week. Prepare."

"My Lad-" The connection winked out. His fist clenched and he whipped around to face me. " _I_ am in charge here! You should've told me you were planning to invite the High Leader to my doorstep!"

"I tried to tell you of my intentions, but-"

"You're _dangerously_ close to challenging my authority, _sister_." He sneered. "Leave. Now."

I nodded. "Yes, Brother Taurus." I said, turning and exiting the shed and immediately heading for the compound's exit. On my way out, however, I saw two brothers escorting another Faunus in chains. I raised an eyebrow and approached them. "What is going on here?" I asked the lead guard.

"This person has willfully harmed our cause; he will face judgement. Move along."

I blinked. "Willfully harmed- what are you talking about? We don't incarcerate fellow Faunus."

"Pfft, news to me." The prisoner said, earning a rough slap from the guard behind him.

"Shutup!" The lead guard told him before turning back to me. "Move. Along."

"I would do what he says." I heard. Glancing behind me, I saw it was, once again, Adam. "I told you to leave."

My eyes narrowed, but I sighed. "Fine. I'm leaving." I turned and walked out the gates, feeling their stares on me the entire way. I frowned; something was _very_ wrong here…

* * *

(A/N) Actual word count for V2Ch10 – 6,666. (I know, right?)

Not all that much to say here, just a couple things. 1) Valkea's starting to catch on that something's a little… _fishy_ in the Vale WF. 2) I had quite a bit of trouble trying to figure out what approach I would take with Pyrrha. I've been reading RWBY fics for much longer than I've been writing and in all that time I've found one (1!) story where she actually gets the Maiden powers… and that one just copy/pasted Ozpin's reincarnation mechanics onto her. So yeah, I wanted to do something a little different, but not _entirely_ foreign. Hence the occasional flashbacks throughout her scenes in the chapter.

Anyways, that's all I had for exposition, onto the reviews!

 **Shadow Walker of Fire said – "Nice chapter. So is Ruby's sniper-scythe going to look like cannon or your own version?"**

It'll be my own version; this one won't be mechanically complex enough to magically shrink into a small box like Crescent Rose can.

 **Mid Level Fighter said – "Oddly enough, I was re-reading this whole story from the beginning when the new chapter notification came out. This one was a bit slow, but exposition chapters usually are.**

 **Blake talking to Valkea seemed a bit rushed, forced even. Blake is usually portrayed as more subtle, even though your version of her had a hair trigger on her mouth early on. Ruby can get away with poking the proverbial bear because she, outside her armor, can break a Brute's neck in hand to hand. Blake's style is a lot like her personality, cautious. Trying to covert a zealot is a slow, delicate, and ultimately volatile process, which is one thing I dislike about RWBY's jumpy episodic pace making things either progress slowly over multiple seasons, or happen instantly, as with Blake and Weiss becoming friends. But enough about that.**

 **Now the obligatory shout-out to Oblivious Jaune, and his Partner, Indecisive Pyrrha. Not even a kiss before she runs off? She had him in a dark corner, pressed against a wall...**

 **Now for the actual question of my rantings: Remnant manufacturing UNSC hardware is all well and good, but will they be Dust powered? If so, orbit is out of reach. I personally think that they might have other natural resources, like fossil fuels and material for nuclear reactors (fission and fusion), but never even looked into it because they have Dust. A scan from the (insert name of flagship i can't remember) in orbit could easily detect radiation signatures from nuclear materials on planet or elsewhere in the system.**

 **Saying that prompts another question: what is your mental image of the Remnant System? Other planets, asteroid belts, comets, the star. All of these are undefined. Their sun could be considered a the same class as Sol, but that is just boring. If everything was made by Forerunners, the system could be very interesting to both the UNSC and Remnan scientists.**

 **Keep up the great work."**

Blake went in there knowing that it could turn volatile and that's why she chose an environment that hampered Valkea heavily and also had her weapons close at hand (if not visible).

I went back and forth for a while on having her kiss him or not, but eventually decided against it because they'd only had an awkward "I thought it was a date but you didn't" outing, whereas in canon they were kinda-maybe-sorta dating for the entire Vytal Festival.

All vehicles produced by Remnan factories will be dust-powered for the time being; the timescale they're working on kinda demands that they get equipment out as quickly as humanly possible.

What I told you about the still-unnamed Remnant system in the response isn't necessarily accurate anymore. I'll be writing a small thing over on the SB thread (where all the lore shit goes because FFN is kinda dumb about it) once I get the creases fully ironed out.

 **Guest 001 said – "Didn't Atlas own Amnity Coluseum, wasn't it up in Atlas during the attack!? What even happened to it!?**

 **The Guest 001 and 002 questions were actually mine, so thanks for answering them! Glad to see you agree with me on wondering why there were no Paladin's in Volume 7!"**

IIRC it's housed on Vytal island when not in use, but idk if that's true for sure. Atlas certainly took it in canon after the Fall of Beacon…

 **Guest 002 said – "Why were the Rangers turning away so many humans!?"**

-Whistles innocently-

 **C313st14 said – "I've enjoyed this chapter as much as I've enjoyed all of the others but I've got a question: is the flood making an appearance at some point in this series?"**

Glad to hear it! Very likely not, though.

* * *

Aaaand that's it for the reviews, and thus, I must bid you adieu for the moment! See y'all in the next chapter (called 'Lone Wolf' atm, but that might change)!


	27. Strength Of The Wolf

(A/N) So yeah, this has been a long time coming. You guys probably would've got it yesterday, but then my brain decided to be nostalgic and have a migraine. So yeah… thanks for that, brain. Then again, I've been thinking "Goodwitch can into space" for a while now, so… maybe that's why? Idk.

Anyways, on to the chapter!

* * *

Volume Two

Chapter Eleven – The Strength Of The Wolf

* * *

/-\ _ /-\

* * *

I rode happily along the trail; the Valerian countryside was so nice this time of year.

I slowed down, dismounting my horse when I saw a girl crying in the middle of the road.

It all happened so fast. One moment I was with the girl, the next, I was fighting for my life.

I dragged myself up from the dirt, all my opponents scattered on the ground around me.

I limped over to the dark-skinned girl, staff in hand. She looked at me, fear in her eyes.

I tried to psych myself up for the act, knowing what had to be done.

The moment I'd raised my staff to do the deed, I felt a sharp pain in my back.

The next thing I knew, I was staring at the palm of the woman, a Grimm Scarab emerging from her glove.

"N- No… please…" I begged.

It spat a black inky substance on my face and I tried to wipe it off, but the other two held me from behind.

I screamed as it felt like something was _pulling the_ _ **soul**_ _straight out of my_ _ **body**_.

* * *

My eyes snapped open and I flashed to my feet, scanning my surroundings as my heart hammered inside my chest.

"Wauggghhh…" I heard someone mutter as they sat up. "Wassup, Pyr?"

I took a deep breath. 'Only a nightmare...' I thought. 'It was only a night-'

"Pyrrha?!" Jaune shouted. "Why is your eye on fire?!"

I blinked. "Umm… I don't feel anything out of the ordinary…?" I said, still trying to calm myself down.

"No, look!" He said, quickly handing me his scroll that he'd set to take a selfie.

"Huh…" I let out. "That's… _strange_ …" I closed my eyes, willing the flame to die out. When I opened them again, not only were they gone, but my other two teammates were staring at me in our now-illuminated room.

"Are… are you alright, Pyr?" Jaune asked.

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you." I said, sighing. "That was merely one of the… _quirks_ I've acquired as of late."

Nora suddenly teleported in front of me. "Caaaaaaaaaan yatalkaboutityet?"

I blinked before taking an exaggerated step away from the hyperactive ginger. "I'm afraid not." I said, eyes drifting to the bathroom. "I don't think I'll be able to get back to sleep; do y'all mind if I take the shower first?"

Jaune blinked. "'Y'all'?" He muttered. "Uhh… y- yeah, that's fine."

I nodded, quickly grabbing my clothes and heading inside. I didn't take a very long shower; it just didn't feel like I _needed_ one, to be honest. Within ten minutes, I was already squeezing into my cuirass, the armor feeling somewhat tight over the t-shirt I'd thrown on. Last night before I'd fell asleep, Nora had forcibly shown me several team pictures from her scroll, trying to jog my memory. They helped a little, but part of me couldn't help but notice my outfit showed a little more skin than I was comfortable with. So until I got the chance to go to… _wherever_ I usually got clothes, I'd just wear a little more than usual; a red t-shirt and black leggings, to be precise.

I shook my head, allowing a wet clump of hair to smack me in the nose. I frowned, removing it before looking in the mirror. I held out the rest of my hair, sighing at just how _long_ it was. Part of me was fine with that, but the other part wasn't. I tried to imagine it being shoulder-length, and honestly? I think I like that. I smiled; whenever they let me go out, I'd get clothes _and_ a haircut.

I exited the bathroom, walking almost directly into Nora doing singlehanded handstand pushups. She looked up, smiled at me, then did one final rep that flung her onto her feet. "Hey Pyrrha!" She said.

My smile dropped slightly, but I quickly recovered. "Hello Nora."

Her eyes glanced behind me for a moment. "Not doing your hair again this morning?"

"Umm… no?" I said, not completely sure what she was talking about.

"Aaaaaalrighty then!" She said, scooping up her own clothes and taking my place in the bathroom.

I let out a dry chuckle. "Is she… is she always like this?"

Jaune shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much."

"You get used to it." Ren said.

"So…" Jaune started. "Still not remembering much, huh Pyr?"

I shook my head. "Unfortunately not."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Wanna talk about it?"

I bit my lip. "Umm… maybe some other time." I said. Part of me just knew that everything would be awkward if I stayed in this room, so despite being more than a little hungry, I opted to take a different route. "If it's alright with you… I'd like to be alone for a while."

"Uhh… well, I guess we can't keep ya here if you don't wanna stay." Jaune said.

I shot him a slight smile. "Meet back here for lunch?"

He nodded. "Yeah, sounds good."

I exited the dorm room, not really sure where exactly to go. So instead of going to a specific place, I just… went where my feet took me. I hadn't really gotten the chance to actually _explore_ Beacon before now, only seeing it from the top of Ozpin's tower, but now I _did_ have that opportunity.

It would still be some time before the sun rose due to the mountains in the east, but some students were already out and about; notably, the three girls from yesterday were out running with a fourth member. I waved to them, as a part of me said I should, though I noticed the newer member was occasionally shooting a glare at the other white-clad girl.

I shrugged it off, continuing my wandering throughout the campus. Every so often, I would hear someone mention 'Pyrrha Nikos', as if I wasn't a few paces away from them…

* * *

"…You really think I can win a tournament?" I asked.

"That is the wrong line of thought." Father said. "You _will_ win the tournament. Every Nikos in ten generations has won one."

…

"And the winner is Pyrrha Nikos of Sanctum Academy!"

I looked over at my father, who was watching from the stands. He nodded, causing me to smile.

…

"Wow, Pyrrha… _another_ tournament win? Maybe you _are_ just invincible after all…" A classmate said.

"Yeah! I haven't landed a single hit on her in _months_!"

"Hey, I know this is kinda weird… but can you gimmie your autograph?"

"I'd be happy to." I said, my smile a little too wide.

…

"Ah, Miss Nikos!" The Lion Faunus headmaster said before looking behind me. "And Mister and Missus Nikos! Welcome to Haven Academy. We've already prepared a dorm room for your stay." He chuckled. "Not unlike one you'll be staying in a few months down the line, actually." He continued to ramble on while he led my family and I through the campus, but the one thing I couldn't shake was the feeling of being watched.

The stares weren't predatory, at least not in the traditional sense, but they were all the same as everywhere else I went. The only surprise was that it took someone fifteen minutes to approach me…

* * *

I blinked, the memories fading back into the recesses of my mind. Just then, I heard my scroll ring and, reaching into my pocket to see who it was, hesitated to answer.

'Father', it read.

I bit my lip, not having _any_ idea what to do in this situation. I searched through what little memories I could access, but none of them really gave any context as to the correct course of action. My finger hovered over the 'accept call' button as the seconds ticked on.

Eventually, the time ran out and I sighed in relief as the screen started flashing 'missed call' instead of the previous message. I put it back into my pocket, continuing my wandering. At some point, I wandered into the forest, finding a nice little rock to rest on among the sea of green.

I just sat there for a little bit; my mind blank as I enjoyed the scenery. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, as my thoughts started wandering back to my… _predicament_. I frowned. 'Everything I remember about Pyrrha is just… miserable.' I thought. 'I had friends before the tournaments. I wanted to go to Haven originally. The only friends I have here either didn't know about me or didn't care.' I sighed. 'Everything about Pyrrha Nikos revolves around her status, and I _hate_ it.'

I looked upwards, seeing the moon just barely poke through the foliage above me. 'What if… what if I don't _want_ to be Pyrrha Nikos?' A part of me said that I already wasn't. The other part radiated a sad acceptance.

I stared down at a puddle in the ground, a murky reflection of my face held within. "Who am I?"

* * *

Jaune and I walked out of the dorm building, picknick basket in hand. I was no closer to answering the question than I was this morning, but part of me had a feeling that Jaune could help. Both parts of me wanted to tell him the truth of what happened; maybe he'd be able to help me then?

"So, do you have any spots in mind?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'll let you lead the way."

He shrugged. "Alright." He said as we walked into the forest once more. About thirty minutes later, and several times doubling back, we arrived at a small crystal-clear pond, a small firepit and bench off to one side. "Whaddaya think?" He asked.

"It's… nice." I said, honestly, before another thought occurred to me. "Did we go here often?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Just heard about this place yesterday; checked it out after me and Ren got back from shopping last night."

"Speaking of, what did you get?" I asked right before my stomach growled. I blushed. "I… _may_ have missed breakfast this morning."

"That's alright, I'm hungry too." He smiled, leading me over to the bench. We sat down and he started digging through the basket. "I uhh… didn't really know what you liked all that much, but you mentioned that you liked that one thing from the café last week. So I just copied that." He removed his hand from the basket, revealing a wrap of some sort.

'A gyro.' Part of my mind helpfully supplied. I took it as he brought out his own sandwich; ham and cheese, by the look of it. We chatted for a little bit as we ate our meals, both being satisfied. Most of it was centered around trying to get me to remember things, though with mixed success. Occasionally, it would trigger _other_ memories; ones of a bronze-skinned maiden wandering the Valerian countryside.

"So I've gotta ask… why a horse?" He asked after one such memory. "I mean… sure, two of my sisters were horse girls growing up, but… why would you travel on one? A lot more Grimm can catch up to a horse than a motorbike."

I shrugged. "I don't really know. I've never really been good with machines, so I guess a horse seemed simpler."

His brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? You've been good with machines as long as I've known you. Or at least weapons maintenance."

I stiffened. "That… doesn't seem right."

He sighed. "Pyrrha, just… _please_." He gently grasped my hands. " _Tell me_ what's wrong. I hate seeing you like this." I bit my lip. "And _that_ too! You never did that before!" He sighed again. "Just, please… I want to help you, but… I can't if you don't tell me what's wrong."

I stared into his watery eyes, feeling a pang of guilt as he sat waiting for my answer…

* * *

"Jaune…" I began. "I know you're having a difficult time in class, and you're still not the strongest of fighters, so… I want to help you."

"W- what?"

"We can train up here after class, where no one can bother us."

…

"My father, my grandfather, and his father before him were all warriors; they were all heroes, and I wanted to be one too…" He said. "I was just never good enough…"

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Then let me help you."

* * *

I blinked away the flashback and found my partner still holding my hand, his eyes begging for an answer.

 _ **tellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhim**_

"Jaune… I…" I started.

 **You are not to tell anyone, not even your teammates, of what happened.**

"I…"

 _ **tellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhimtellhim**_

 _ **Tell. Him.**_

"I…" I sighed. "I don't know if I _am_ Pyrrha Nikos."

"That… that doesn't make any sense…" He said. "I mean, look at you! You're _Pyrrha_. You're my partner."

"I'm… I'm not _just_ her."

"What're you-"

" _That's_ what happened to me, Jaune." I interrupted. "I am Pyrrha Nikos, but I'm also someone else." I sighed. "Her… _My_ name was Amber Autumn."

"But that doesn't make any _sense_. How can you be _two people_?!"

My eyes drifted to the ground. "They built a machine. One that combines the aura of two people into one body."

He stared at me blankly, but I could see the wheels turning in his head. After a moment, his cheeks turned green. "That's… _wrong_!"

"That's what I- that's what _Pyrrha_ said, at first."

"At _first_?"

I nodded. "The situation is… a bit more _delicate_ than I would like." I sighed. "You know I'm still having memory issues, but I still remember my- _their_ final moments. Amber was awakening from _months'_ worth of nightmares; the same scenario replayed over and over and over again until she nearly went insane. She wasn't even sure that she was back in the real world yet."

"…And Pyrrha?"

"She wanted to see you one last time." I said. "She loved you, Jaune."

A tear rolled down his cheek. "I just-" He sighed. "How do I know you're telling the truth? This all sounds… _crazy_." He said. "I mean… people _can't_ have two souls, right?"

"I don't actually have two souls. Just one." I said. "Ozpin said it's a bit of a patchwork, from what he could tell. As for how to tell if I'm being truthful?" I held up my hand, producing a small **[Flame]** on the same template grandfather had given me in the vault. Jaune's eyes shot wide open. "Go on, touch it. I promise you; it won't burn."

He gingerly reached his hand up to mine, testing the air. Once he was satisfied, he actually touched the flame. "It's… warm." He said, moving his hand to touch the innermost part of the fire. "But yeah… doesn't burn. Just… warm." He stared at it, mesmerized for a moment before pulling back. "That… could be your semblance…" He muttered. "I haven't seen it before."

I shook my head. "I'm afraid you'll just have to take my word for it. I know Maidens are capable of other powers, but I haven't tried them out yet."

He looked me over thoroughly before sighing. "Pyrrha's… gone, isn't she?"

I bit my lip. "Not… _exactly_." I said. "In a way, I'm her, but also not. Part of me wants to say I'm her and Amber's daughter, but that's also not really true." I sighed. "It's… hard to explain. I'm Pyrrha Nikos and Amber Autumn; both and neither at the same time."

"That doesn't really help, y'know." He said, flatly. "Just at _least_ tell me this." His fists balled up. "Was she _forced_ into this?"

I shook my head. "I remember she… _I_ was given quite a while to think about it. Even after I'd made my choice explicit to the headmaster, he gave me multiple opportunities to back out."

He relaxed slightly. "Then… then why did she do it?"

"I felt it was my destiny." I said. "I'd seen the Atlesian refugees on the streets; I'd heard of the threat the Covenant posed; I'd been told of the… _shadier_ side of Remnant's history. It didn't paint a good picture. I simply felt that this was my opportunity to make it better for everyone else." I shrugged. "And it didn't hurt that Ruby volunteered instantly."

"Wait, they did it to _Ruby_ too?"

"Oh, no. I don't remember why, but she couldn't for some reason. Not for lack of willingness, though."

He let out a dry chuckle. "Oooof course she couldn't…" He muttered, before starting to pack our things.

I blinked. "Are we… going somewhere else?"

"Yeah. To tell the team."

* * *

Ren and Nora sat before us, a mixture of horrified and completely confused expressions on their faces. "So, let me get this straight…" Ren started. "Pyrrha had her soul merged with this Amber person. Their souls combined make _you_."

I nodded. "That about sums up the situation, yes."

"But… but is Pyrrha still in there?" Nora asked.

"Not… really." Her shoulders drooped, along with her head. I bit my lip. "I… can still hear her, sometimes… but she isn't really umm… _present_."

Jaune blinked. "What do you mean, you can hear her?"

"It's not a constant voice, if that's what you mean; more like an occasional repeating voice, her and Amber both." I shrugged. "She's actually part of what convinced me to tell you in the first place."

"So… you wouldn't've told us otherwise?" He asked.

"At some point, I would've had to, but she hastened it quite a bit. Ozpin gave me specific instructions not to tell you all."

Ren frowned. "Who else knows?"

"Of our classmates?" He nodded. "Ruby, Weiss, and Blake."

"And I'm guessing they couldn't tell us either…"

I shook my head. "I would ask that you not let on that you know anything, either. I imagine grandfather would be quite displeased if he was aware that I told you."

"Yeah, probably a good idea." Jaune said. "Wait, did you just call Ozpin your grandfather?"

I blinked. "It seems I did."

"I'm guessing he's Amber's grandpa, then?"

My brow furrowed. "I'm… not really sure."

He sighed. "I just… I wish this didn't have to happen."

"Us too, Jaune." Ren said. "But since it did, we need to make the most of it."

"But Ren… It's _Pyrrha_!"

"She didn't abandon us, Nora." He said, stopping Nora in her tracks. "I'm not saying we should act like nothing happened, but Pyrrha wouldn't want us beating ourselves up over her decision. That said…" He turned to me. "you are most definitely _not_ her, and I will not address you as such in private."

I nodded. "That's understandable." I sighed. "If… if you think I would be better off changing tea-"

"No!" Jaune interrupted. "No, we aren't doing _that_!"

"But I thought-"

"No." He said. "You said it yourself; you're part Pyrrha and part not. And I just… I _can't_ kick her off the team."

I smiled. "I'll be sure to earn her spot, then."

Ren cleared his throat. "But that still leaves the question of what to call you, as my previous statement stands."

I blinked. "I suppose you're right, though I don't really know what that would be at the moment."

"That's okay." Jaune said, patting me on the shoulder. "Take your time."

I hummed in thanks as I began thinking of a name. I looked around the room, finding a mirror nearby. My face practically screamed 'fire' or 'inferno', and I wanted to keep it along those lines. 'Pyra? No, too similar to Pyrrha. Infernoa? No, I don't like that…' I tried several other names but ended up scrapping them as soon as I thought them up. I rubbed my temples in frustration. 'Why can't I just pick a random name and be done with it?' I rhetorically asked myself.

Just then, I had an idea. 'What if I combine two names? _I'm_ a combination, why can't my name be, too?' I liked that idea, so I started going down the list of names I knew, trying out various ones but always finding them… lackluster. 'What if I try my original names?' I thought. 'Amber and Pyrrha… Pyrmber? No… Ambra?' I blinked; that was a good starting point, but I was already somewhat frustrated and I still had my last name to work on. 'Let's see… Nikos and Autumn… Nikumn?' I shivered. 'That sounds too close to something… _else_. How about-' My eyes widened.

I snapped my fingers. "I know my name." I said, turning around.

"Well, whaddaya got?" Jaune asked.

I smiled. "Hello, everyone. My name is Embra Autumnos."

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I ducked back into the bushes, hearing my bowler hat-wearing target scream in pain before being silenced. "Report, Three." I said into comms.

"Direct hit." Blake said. "Valkea probably didn't get a good look at him before that ice cream girl tackled him, though."

"Damn." I said. "Any sign of an alarm being raised?"

"None; you're still clear."

"Roger, moving to phase two now. See any openings?"

She stayed silent for a few moments before humming. "Looks like an open window around the back side of the building; doesn't look like anyone's standing guard."

"Good enough for me." I said before moving out. It was… _strange_ wearing an ODST BDU, but my own armor _certainly_ wasn't up to the task of doing anything really… at least for the time being. So here I was, skulking around an innie base in a uniform that wasn't mine with my teammate on overwatch.

Really brings back memories.

I quickly found the window she was talking about and ducked inside, careful to make as _little_ noise as humanly possible. They couldn't know anyone was here or else they might change what they had planned; command was _very_ clear about that.

Because of that particular order, I was _very_ pleased that the window led to a storage room. Out of curiosity, I opened up one of the crates, careful not to damage it. "Three, did the 'Fang always stockpile dust?"

"I mean… we had a few dust users, why?"

"Do you think they'd need an entire crate of the stuff?"

She paused as I continued snooping through the storeroom. "I mean… _maybe…_?"

"How's about tw- make that _three_ crates?"

" _What_?" She let out. "Where would they even _get_ that much? I've been monitoring the news since Forever Fall, they've been quiet!"

"That's what we're gonna find out. Visuals on Adam and Valkea?"

"Oh umm… they just went into the commshed. You should have a few minutes to snoop around, still."

"Roger, moving out." I said before carefully peeking out the door. The hallway on the other side was completely deserted, making my job a _lot_ easier. "Any idea where I might find anything important?"

"I haven't been to this base before, but usually Adam likes to have his quarters as high as possible. I'd check there."

"Sounds like a plan. Let me know if anyone enters the building." I said while silently looking for a staircase. After only a few moments of searching, I found one, the upstairs hallway just as barren as the one below. I was about to ask if he used anything to identify his quarters, but then I noticed a wanted poster of the man himself sticking to the nearest door on the left. Glancing down the rest of the hallway, I found all three of the other doors had a similar wanted poster, just with different people.

I rolled my eyes before carefully opening the door, finding it also unoccupied. My nose crinkled in disgust as I entered; not from the smell (the air filters in the ODST helmet took care of _that_ ), but from just how _messy_ it was.

I certainly was more resilient to messes than someone like Weiss, but this made even _me_ cringe. Most of the room was covered in empty food cans which had apparently been licked clean. In one corner sat a literal mountain of filled trashbags, one having split open at one point and spilled its contents onto the floor. In another corner sat something that could _vaguely_ be considered a potted tree…

…if said tree hadn't died and started sprouting mushrooms…

The creepiest thing, though? That would be the one _clean_ part of the room. The Blake shrine. I shook my head. "You really know how to pick 'em, don't ya, Blake?" I muttered.

"What was that?" She asked.

"I'll tell you later." I said, shaking my head. In the final corner of the room sat what I was looking for: a desk with several open books on it.

I carefully waded through the room, making sure to disturb as _little_ of the trash as humanly possible. When I _did_ get to the desk, however, what I found was all worth it. There were several books worth of documents; so many that I couldn't even read them all before I had to leave. I settled for recording the pages as I flipped through them, knowing that they'd become readable once I could pause the recording.

"Ruby, he's coming your way!" Blake suddenly shouted in my ear.

I flinched slightly, immediately putting down the document I was flipping through. The room didn't have a window and there was only one door. I only had one option. Sighing, I burst into rose petals and flowed between any and every crack in the mountain of trashbags.

I could still feel things, but thankfully, it was only to a limited extent. That didn't help just how _slimy_ they felt. At least I could still see and hear… for the most part. I sighed internally; sometimes I _really_ hated my job. Before I could lament any further, though, the door swung open, revealing Adam in all his edgy glory.

He made a gagging sound as he entered the room, immediately rushing for a certain pile of junk, grabbing an air freshener and spraying practically half the entire bottle into the air. He groaned, shutting the door. "Damn that Human… making me live like this…" He muttered before beginning to methodically examine almost every piece of trash in the room. Luckily, he only sent a glance my way and didn't see me. After a few minutes, he seemed satisfied and relaxed slightly.

He unclasped the sword from his belt, one which was _much_ more mundane than Wilt and Blush and leaned it up against a bedpost before snapping off a single mushroom from the tree and popping it into his mouth.

Part of me was tempted to burst from the trash and kill him right here and now, but another part recognized that doing so would only further radicalize the White Fang. Maybe it'd even escalate into Remnant's version of the Callisto incident. I _really_ wish I could contact command at the moment, but all my comm gear was currently dematerialized into rose petals. I internally sighed, electing to watch the asshole pace back and forth as he chewed on his mushroom.

He stopped pacing just in front of the Blake shrine. He just stared at the picture for a moment, his mouth twitching between neutral and a frown before a solitary tear rolled down his cheek. "I wouldn't be in this situation if you'd had a little more faith in me." He muttered, removing his mask for a moment to wipe away the tear before replacing it. "We were fighting for equality, Blake, but you chose to throw it all away and run like you Belladonnas _always_ do." His hands balled into fists, but soon relaxed. "You made a promise that you'd stick by me until the end." He sighed. "Just… please keep it."

He reached into another trash pile, pulling out a half-full bottle of vodka. He unscrewed the cap in a single motion with his thumb, flicking it off the bottle and catching it with his other hand and taking a swig. "Life was a lot simpler on the streets of Mistral. Even if I had to deal with bigots and starvation, at least I didn't have to bend over backwards for a _Human_." He sat down on the edge of his bed and hums. "Sometimes I imagine what the world would be like without them, y'know? A united Faunus front against the Grimm." He put the cap back on his bottle, setting it in another trash pile near the bed before laying down. " _If only_ …" He trailed off.

He stayed relatively motionless for the next few minutes, his breathing steadying out and a small snore developing. Once I was sure he was asleep, I slowly reformed outside the trash pile. "-y? Come in. Please…..." Blake said over comms the _second_ my body became whole again. I flashed a green and amber light to her. She sighed in relief. "That means you can't talk, right?" I winked my green status light. "Okay… just… let me know if you need anything." I winked my green light again.

During our little conversation, I was scanning the room, looking for the best way out through the trash. With Adam in the room, there was _no_ way in hell I'd get any more intel without being compromised. I got _some_ of the documents on record; just not all of them. In the middle of searching, though, I spotted something I'd missed in my previous haste.

A vent in the ceiling…

I sighed internally, activating my semblance once more and silently flowing through the vent. It wasn't long before I'd been spit out of the building and, luckily, I was already near a wall. Less than a minute later, I'd climbed over and was moving to Blake's position.

I winked my green light twice once I neared as to calm her down slightly. I knew she'd probably be able to hear me before I arrived, but I didn't need her trigger finger to get itchy. When I rolled up beside my half-armored teammate, she merely gave me a glance. "What happened down there? I was trying to raise you for like ten minutes."

"Adam walked in; had to hide in a trash pile."

"Well, that certainly explains the smell…" She said. "Wait, trash pile?"

"I'll explain later. How long ago did Valkea leave?"

"About when Adam went inside, just after they argued about a Faunus prisoner." She sighed. "Something is wrong here. Like… _really_ wrong."

"You can say that again." I muttered. "But we've gotta get back; it'll only be so long for Valkea to reach the dorms and we'll need to be there when she does."

She glanced back at me. "How are we going to beat her there? She's probably over half-way back by this point."

I stood up, hoisting her to her feet in the same motion before turning around. "Hop on." I said.

She hesitated. "Are… are you serious?"

"Yeah, it's a little weird, but you aren't heavy enough to slow me down even _without_ my MJOLNIR helping me." I shrugged. "Plus, I could use someone to watch my back; kinda hard to without a motion tracker."

"Fine, fine..." She sighed before climbing on, yelping as I took off in a dead sprint towards Beacon. Only ten minutes later, we arrived. She slowly released her deathgrip on my armor and slid onto the ground with a shudder. After a few seconds, she was back on her feet and glaring at me. "We will never speak of this again."

I shrugged. "Works for me. You might want to get back to the dorm and get some shuteye; classes start in about seven hours."

She yawned. "Don't have to tell me twice…" She said, beginning to walk away.

"Oh, and tell Weiss that you two get the morning off. I've got a little outing planned for Valkea and I."

"I pity her already." She said over her shoulder, disappearing into the dorm building.

I cued my mic. "Sierra here; mission successful. Transmitting documents now."

The other end crackled to life. "Excellent work, Lieutenant Commander. Major Foley out."

I leaned against the building, sighing. Part of me wanted to take a nap, but I had something in mind for Valkea when she got back. Speaking of the devil, she just exited the forest. I saw her take a cursory glance around the empty courtyard before her eyes locked onto mine.

* * *

/-\ Valkea Khan /-\

* * *

'Fuck…' I thought as I stared into the visor of the trooper standing guard at the dorms. I took a deep breath. 'It's okay… he probably doesn't even know who you are. Just… walk in like you own the place and you'll be fine…' I took a deep breath and walked forward, stowing my rifle onto my back.

I gave a friendly nod at the armored figure as I walked past, striding into-

…the person's arm…

I blinked, looking at them and opening my mouth, only for my words to be caught in my throat. The trooper's visor, once mirrored, now was completely transparent.

"Bit early for a walk, wouldn't ya say?" Ruby said.

"I… uhh…." I floundered. "…I couldn't sleep?"

"S'alright." She said. "I needed you for a special thing, anyways."

"Umm… actually, I think I'm a little tired now, can I get a raincheck on that?" I asked, _desperately_ trying to get out of whatever the _hell_ she'd come up with this time.

"Hmm… nope." She said, popping the 'p'. "There's a big test coming up in combat class, and I need to know how good you are with that rifle of yours."

"…I don't like where this is going…"

She lowered her arm, shrugging. "It's not that big a deal." She said, turning around and equipping a sniper rifle from her back. "Follow me." I raised my hand in protest, but she didn't even acknowledge me. Sighing, I did as she said. "Ammo count?" She asked when I neared her.

I hadn't used any for my trip to or from the base, so I just shrugged. "Five clips of eight-mil and two of fourteen-mil."

"How many rounds in a clip?"

"Nine in the eight-mil and five in the fourteen."

She glanced at me. "Packing light?"

I scoffed. "These aren't exactly a dime a dozen." I said, knowing full well that this was _most_ of my remaining ammo supply; I only had my emergency reserve of three high-explosive fourteen-mil clips, otherwise.

Ruby shrugged again. "If you do well enough, I don't think you'll have that problem in the immediate future." I blinked but didn't say anything. "C'mon, let's pick up the pace; double time it." She took off at somewhere between a jog and a run, carefully keeping her muzzle pointed forward the entire time.

We ran through Beacon's surrounding forest and eventually arrived at the cliff, which she jumped off without hesitation. I peered over the edge and found her skidding down the near vertical slope as if it was nothing; her rifle idly scanning from side to side.

Sure, I'd just slid down the cliff into Forever Fall a few hours ago, but that wasn't _quite_ as steep. I took a deep breath and followed her down. A few moments later, I ever so elegantly landed on my face at the bottom. I groaned, getting up and grabbing my rifle at the same time.

"You alright?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah… had my aura up."

"Good. There's a hill overlooking a clearing about eighteen clicks from here; should be a good enough perch." She set off with me following. "Oh, and keep your emotions in check; Grimm are crawling all over the Emerald Forest."

I rolled my eyes before taking a deep breath and letting a wave of calm wash over me. Years of solo missions in the Solitasian tundra paying dividends in the 'not attracting monsters' department. I blinked, suddenly realizing something she said. "Wait… _eighteen kilometers_?!"

"It'll be over before ya know it." She hummed. "Actually, there _is_ a way to make it go a little faster."

"How?"

"Repeat after me." She said, clearing her throat. "HELLJUMPER, HELLJUMPER WHERE YA BEEN?!"

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

We crawled forward through the undergrowth, approaching the clearing. We'd had to take a few breaks to let Valkea catch her breath, but overall, we made good time. We poked our heads out of the bushes and, as expected, the area was filled with Grimm. I took out my sniper rifle and looked down the scope. "Alright, get your weapon ready. I'll call out targets and you take 'em down."

She glanced at me. "…And why am I the only one shooting?"

I rolled my eyes. "Because this is a _test_. We need to know if you're any good with that thing of yours." She stayed silent, only shouldering her rifle. "Load eight-mil; we'll get the small fry outta the way first."

"Loaded." She said.

"Alright." I zoomed in on a particularly unlucky Boarbatusk, the only one in this group, that was busy laying around with its stomach facing us. "Take out the Boarbatusk; one round to the heart. Wind is two knots from the southwest; target at one-hundred meters." She didn't respond, only taking a minute to adjust her sights and exhale.

 **-BOOM-**

I nodded. "Good hit, target down." I said, quickly sighting another one. 'Good enough on a stationary target, how about a moving one?' "Beowolf coming towards us. Take it down."

 **-BOOM-**

The target's head exploded, sending Grimmgore all over the clearing. "Another 'Wolf, two-hundred meters; looks confused."

 **-BOOM-**

We continued for a few minutes, the Grimm horde before us growing ever thinner. As the last shot rang out, I smiled. "Not bad." I said. 'For someone who isn't a super soldier…' I mentally added.

"So, I pass this little _test_ of yours, then?" She spat out.

I nodded. "With flying colors." I said, scanning the treeline to make absolutely _sure_ we'd gotten all the hostiles. My eyes narrowed when I noticed a small glint off an otherwise inconspicuous bush. I zoomed in, flicking on my thermals; nothing was there. "Ammo check?"

"Three rounds of eight-mill; didn't use any fourteen."

"Roger, cover me."

I walked forward, switching out my sniper for Onyx Rose, into the clearing itself and towards the glint. Normally, it'd be difficult to see even _with_ my eye enhancements and VISR, but as luck would have it, a full moon loomed above us.

I swept my rifle back and forth, still somewhat unsettled by both the lack of a motion tracker and an innie watching my back. Regardless, I was given standing orders to retrieve anything and everything I thought the UNSC could use; a glint in the woods at least warranted a once-over.

I didn't have any clue what it could be, as I'd only ever seen this clearing from the blurry edge of a satellite image, so imagine my shock when I found it to be a _propeller_ of all things. Four blades, silver in color, looked like it'd been ripped off of whatever craft it'd been built for.

Deciding this was worth a bit more than a glance, I continued deeper into the woods. My jaw dropped when I recognized a large silhouette among the trees. I hesitantly keyed my mic. " _Odinsdottir_ , Sierra here. Do those salvage orders apply to _crashed airships_ , too?"

I didn't get a response immediately, but after a few moments, Foley came through. "Uhh… affirmative, Sierra. Give us the location and what you've got."

I hit a button on the side of my wrist, automatically transmitting the coordinates. "Looks like a Mistralian third-rate; maybe a hundred meters in length? At least it _was_ , upper bow's broken off."

"How intact is it?"

I hummed. "Other than the bow? Looks like it's mostly in one piece; hull's rotted and most of it's covered in moss, but the metal isn't rusted. Maybe get an engineer or two down here before making any commitments beyond just taking anything that looks useful."

"Roger, Sierra. Hold position and run security; a flight of Pelicans will be there in thirty mikes."

"Wilco, _Odinsdottir_." I said before clicking off my mic. I stepped out of the treeline and back into the clearing, motioning Valkea to come forward. A few minutes later and she was at my side, eyebrow raised. "Alright, here's the situation." I started. "I'm gonna stay here with this wreck while UNSC personnel work on it. I'm giving you a choice, though; either stay here with me and get a lift back to Beacon when we're done, or you can run back through the Grimm-infested forest by yourself."

"I've got thirteen rounds left…" She deadpanned. "I'll be staying with you if that's an option."

"That's what I figured." I said, plopping down on a fallen tree that stuck out into the clearing. I removed my helmet, taking a swig from my canteen. "Want some?" I asked, holding it out for her.

She hesitated, taking it after a moment but wiping the lid off with her sleeve before drinking. "Thanks." She said, handing it back.

I shrugged, putting my helmet back on. "It'll be a while before they come, no sense in waiting thirsty…"

* * *

/-\ Embra Autumnos /-\

* * *

I was once again walking Beacon's grounds this morning, but today was slightly different than yesterday. I'd dreamed of one of Pyrrha's tournament wins, and the amazing stunts she pulled during it. When I awoke, it suddenly hit me that I was training to be a huntress, and even if I dropped out now, I still had Amber's powers, which she was somewhat killed over.

In other words: I needed to get good, and _fast_.

The only trouble was… I had no idea how to fight. Or rather, I had no idea if I had an idea of how to fight. So that's why I was out before breakfast, carrying my gun/sword/javelin; Μήλώ, the inscription said.

Just as I was about to enter the forest, away from prying eyes, I noticed a green airship descending through the sky, touching down on one of the landingpads moments later. It didn't even stay for a full minute, dropping the ramp, letting two passengers disembark, before sealing back up and flying off to gods-know-where. I only recognized the newer member of Team RWVB; I hadn't seen the other one, a black-clad UNSC soldier, before. Oddly, a rather large raven perched itself on a nearby lamppost, watching them intently.

I shrugged it off, venturing into the woods to test myself. Instead of just blindly going into the woods this time, I decided to take one of the few trails leading away from the main campus. It wasn't paved or anything, the foliage was merely trampled down from frequent use. The underbrush was trimmed back, but that was about the extent of any maintenance done here.

I continued on for a while, debating if I should just stop in the middle of the path to practice, but soon enough, I came across a small clearing clearly meant for camping…

…and it was occupied.

A makeshift shelter sat off to the side, mainly made of sticks but with a torn Atlesian banner over the entrance. A Ram Faunus man sat on a log beside a campfire, looking at me with apprehension. "…Hello?" I said, unsure of what to do.

"Uhh… hi." He said. "Are you one of the students?"

I nodded. "Indeed. Might I ask what you're doing here?"

"Oh… we uhh… came here after Atlas fell. We thought Beacon would be a safer bet than the streets."

I raised an eyebrow. "'We'?"

"Yeah. My wife and our three boys are inside." He said, nodding to the hut. "So what brings you out here?"

"Just… going for a morning walk." I said.

"Oh, well… don't let me keep ya." He said, turning back to the fire.

"Umm… okay… nice to meet you!" I said, continuing onwards. Oddly enough, it didn't take long to find another clearing, though it was still easily far enough away from the other one to be out of earshot of its occupants. Now came the hard part; actually seeing if I could _wield_ my weapon.

I unsheathed Milo from my hip, twirling it around for a moment to test the balance. I didn't actually bring Akouo; it felt… _off_ when I picked it up before leaving my dorm. Just wielding Milo felt a little odd, too, but not _as_ odd as having the shield. I felt an urge bubble to the surface of my mind and, on instinct, I flicked my wrist backwards, transforming my weapon into its javelin form, and threw it at a tree in front of me.

It struck dead center, causing me to smile. Again out of instinct, I reached out with my semblance to retrieve it…

…

…I reached out with my semblance to retrieve it…

…

I sighed, walking forward and _manually_ retrieving my weapon. As the javelin came to rest in my palms, I blinked, replaying the events that just occurred. 'I guess I really _am_ my own person…' I thought, walking back to the center of the clearing.

I took a deep breath and thought about changing my weapon back to its xiphos form, but… something about the javelin form just felt more _right_ ; like I'd used a similar weapon for much longer...

I spun the weapon around, getting a feel for how the balance had shifted, before imagining an opponent in front of me. He shouldered his rifle and fired, though I parried every shot with a twirl of my javelin. Then he charged, bayonet affixed, and tried to stab me right through the gut.

I stepped aside at the last moment, twirling the blunt end of Milo into the back of his skull and knocking him out. I dove to the side, evading another imaginary opponent, before sweeping his legs and, as he was falling, kicking him upside the head.

The last enemy charged me, hip-firing his weapon the entire way. Again, I twirled my javelin in a circle, perfectly hitting each bullet with the flat of the weapon. Once he got close enough, I flashed to his side, brought Milo around his torso, grabbed it with my other hand, and forced him to the ground.

I took a deep breath, something just felt… _off_ with the way I was fighting; like it was missing a certain 'oomph'. I relaxed my muscles, dipping into a series of familiar flowing movements and treating my weapon more like a staff than a spear. After a few twirls, I thrust it forward and, automatically, a **[Force]** shot down my veins, coming out as a gust of wind emanating from Milo's tip. I blinked.

That felt… _right_.

I thrust my javelin forward again, mimicking the **[Force]** ful feeling, and again, a gust of wind shot forward into the trees. I twirled my weapon into an overhead slash, putting some **[Force]** behind it as well. It accelerated so fast it nearly flew out of my hands, the wind howling as loud as a train meanwhile. A smile spread across my face as I repeated my strikes, keeping the **[Force]** behind every single one.

A few minutes later, I slowed to a stop, my chest rising and falling rhythmically from the light exertion. This was… _exhilarating_! Adding the wind to my attacks just felt so… _natural_. I paused. 'I wonder what else I can do…'

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I felt the dropship touch down, immediately unbuckling my restraints and standing up. I would've immediately left the vehicle, but I couldn't help but notice Valkea was fast asleep. I rolled my eyes, giving her a light bonk on the head. Well, _my_ definition of light, that is.

"Ow!" She shouted, rubbing her forehead. "What in the-"

"We're here." I interrupted.

She grumbled a little as she got up, following me out of the Pelican. On our way through the courtyard, I saw Pyrrha, who looked at us blankly for a moment before disappearing into the woods. I shrugged her off; she probably knew what she was doing.

 _Probably_ …

I sighed. 'I should probably check with her team and make sure they know where she is…' I thought. I wouldn't normally do that, but with her memory problems recently… it couldn't hurt. However, before I could act on that thought, Professor Ozpin himself stepped out of the staff dormitories in the distance, walking towards his office. I glanced at Valkea. "Go back to the room and get ready; I'll be there in a minute."

She just groaned, continuing to sulk her way forward in a tired stupor. I couldn't blame her; she didn't get any sleep last night, having to run security with me for the salvage team (read: digging trenches all morning). I'd cover for her if- _when_ she fell asleep in class; maybe say it was a special assignment from Ozpin. It wouldn't be a _complete_ lie.

Speaking of the headmaster, I finally caught up to him. "Miss Rose." He said, sipping at his drink.

"Headmaster." I said, nodding. "I'd say she's good for the OP, just keep her in an overwatch position."

"That's good to hear. Any comments?"

"We found an old Mistralian third-rate about eighteen klicks from the city; probably crashed a few years ago. Marines've secured the site and the engineers said it's safe to move. I was told to formally request a berthing at a shipyard to see if it's worth getting airworthy again."

He raised an eyebrow. "Might I ask why you would want to restore a wreck like that?"

I shrugged. "Could always use a carrier, or a heavy dropship, or a freighter. Loads of possibilities."

He nodded. "I'll ask around. I assume that is all?"

"Ye-" I cut myself off. "Actually, I just remembered something. We've been meaning to go up and salvage anything we can from the _Devil's Hand_ up in orbit. It got cut in half by an energy projector during the invasion, but there might still be some stuff up there. It _also_ might be a good introduction to moving in zero-gee for the students here."

He pursed his lips in thought. "Are you asking permission to take them along with you?"

"Pretty much. We've got eight spare environment suits, including the one I'm wearing right now, so that leaves enough for my team plus four others." He made a 'go on' motion. "They'd be in groups of three; two students and either a Marine or a Sailor to keep them from killing themselves. Plus, I already ran the idea by Witherson; he's fine with it if you are."

"And how long would they be gone?"

"I'd make sure they'd be back by curfew."

He sipped at his drink, humming. While he was thinking, Goodwitch rounded the corner, her own thermos in hand. His eyes darted towards her. "I shall approve your request on the condition that Professor Goodwitch chaperones."

She stopped dead in her tracks. "Ozpin, what did you just sign me up for?"

I smirked. "Oh, you'll only be going into space; not exactly a big deal."

She stared at me blankly. "…Are you serious?"

I nodded. "Like I told Ozpin, no one here has any zero-gee training. That might be a problem against an enemy that likes to turn off the gravity when they're being boarded." I shrugged. "And it couldn't hurt to have a few extra superhumans help the salvaging operation go a little smoother."

She crossed her arms. "Who would be going?"

"You, Team RWVB, and three volunteers."

She pinched her nose before looking at Ozpin. "Very well… I'll accompany them." She said before turning back to me. "Is there anything I should bring? And when is this expedition taking place?"

"We'll give you everything you need to not die out there, and it'll happen two days after the offensive. I'll ask for volunteers during my class today. Speaking of which…" I trailed off, tapping my watch.

He smiled, waving me off. I nodded, walking away.

* * *

/-\ Jaune Arc /-\

* * *

I jogged through the forest, still worried about why my partner would just up and leave without saying anything. Just as I was beginning to doubt Ruby told me the right path Pyrrha went down, I came upon a clearing with a nice stranger who pointed me in the correct direction.

Only a few minutes later, I started to hear the sounds of combat. Just as I was about to take off running towards it, I realized there was only _one_ voice among the sounds; that, and the lack of metal clanging that huntsmen fights were so famous for.

Curious, I poked my head into the clearing the noises were coming from. I sighed in relief when I saw it was Py- _Embra_ , just doing training. She didn't notice me, and, honestly, I was content just watching her practice; she seemed to be having a good time, anyway.

Embra's fighting style seemed a little… _different_ than Pyrrha's. Whereas my original partner would focus on quick strikes and acrobatics to keep the initiative, Embra's strikes seemed to glide into one another; her spear blurring in front of her before suddenly striking out.

…and her eye was on fire again; can't miss that.

She finally finished a few minutes later, her weapon sending out a final gust that rattled the trees as hard as any windy day would. I stepped out of the treeline, giving her a smile as she caught her breath. "Hey, Pyr- err… Embra."

"Hello… Jaune…" She panted, blinking the flames away from her eyes.

"Wanna sit down?" I asked, gesturing to a fallen log. She paused, blushing slightly before nodding and taking a seat alongside me. "So… why'd ya come out here?"

"Just to practice, actually." She said. "I didn't know if I knew how to fight."

I chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah… been there, done that."

She blinked. "You lost your memories too?"

"Oh, no. I mean the whole 'faked my transcripts' thing." She stared at me blankly. "Oh… you didn't remember that, did you?" She shook her head. "Well, long story short, you and Ruby helped me learn how to fight. I might not actually be _good_ yet, buuuut I'm a _lot_ better than I was." I smiled. "So, if ya need a sparring partner, just lemmie know. It sure beats spending the whole morning looking for you."

She blushed. "I'm sorry…"

I shrugged. "It's alright. Just maybe leave a note or something next time."

"That may be for the best, yes." She said before biting her lip. Her eyes darted back and forth, but she remained silent.

"What's up?" I asked, finally.

She sighed. "I… don't really know how to approach it."

"What's 'it'?" I asked.

She rubbed the back of her head. "I… Pyrrha really liked you, you know."

I blinked. "Yeah… you said that before."

She blushed. "I think some of those feelings may have transferred to me."

I opened my mouth, but it clicked shut immediately after. Only after thinking some more did I speak. "Are you… asking me out?"

She bit her lip. "Despite how the last one ended, I… would certainly not be opposed to another?" She said with a slight tilt of her head. "I- if it's okay with you, of course."

I smiled. "Sure, why not?"

* * *

/-\ Ruby Rose /-\

* * *

I walked through the hallways of the school, the last bell having just rung half-an-hour prior. I'd already changed into my usual attire; the pseudo PT gear with my pistol holstered at my waist and _several_ knives hidden throughout the outfit. I smiled; during lunch, I got a text that I'd been anticipating for quite a while now…

My scythe was ready.

It all lined up perfectly; it was even Blake's turn to make sure Valkea didn't snap and try to murder Weiss! Though I doubt she'd try that _today_ , simply because she'd only had a few minutes cumulative of sleep for the past two days. In the time it took me to actually change, she was already on her bunk, out like a light.

As I walked through the school, though, I passed a student carrying a few boxes, one of them with a Valerian Mail Service stamp on it. I shrugged as I entered the lobby; none of us had actually bothered to check the team's mailbox since we got back, there were just too many things on our minds this past week-and-a-half.

I wasn't surprised to find it moderately full when I opened it, though I _was_ surprised to find a package addressed to me specifically. I was so curious, in fact, that I opened it right then and there. Inside was a handwritten letter placed atop a red cloth.

 _You left this at home when you and your team went to Atlas_. _-Dad_

My brow furrowed. 'Left what?' I thought before examining the box's contents more closely. All that was in there was the red cloth, but upon further inspection, said red cloth had a hood as well as a small brooch; the same design as the rose emblem I always kept on me. After a moment, I recognized them.

This was the cloak mom sewed for me.

I held it up, examining it more closely. 'I know she's alive… _somewhere_ …' I reminded myself. '…but that doesn't mean I'll ever get to see her again…' I sighed at the thought, quickly coming to a decision and throwing on the garment.

I took out my scroll, propping it up on a shelf on selfie mode to see myself. As much as I wanted to wear it, the cloak didn't _exactly_ go well with my tan and brown PT outfit. That could be fixed, though; simple clothes like these weren't _exactly_ expensive, even when made to huntsman-quality. I nodded; make the pants and shirt black using white lettering and maybe throw on a red belt.

I was already going to Vale; I might as well make an extra stop at the huntsman supply store. I clapped my hands together, forming a to-do list before setting off for the room with the rest of the team's packages.

* * *

I walked into the weapon shop, my rucksack stuffed full of my new clothes. No one was manning the counter right at this moment, and in the background, I could hear the buzzing of someone welding a piece of metal.

I hummed, browsing the store idly while I waited for someone to notice me. It wasn't long, however, as the familiar weaponsmith emerged from the back, a welding mask flipped up onto his head. "Oh, hello!" He said, setting the mask down on the counter. "How can I help you today?"

"I'm here to pick up my weapon; a sniper rifle scythe."

"Ah yes! I'll be right back with it." He disappeared back behind the 'employees only' door, emerging a few minutes later, my weapon in hand. "Here you are!" He said, giving it to me.

I looked it over, running my hand along the red powdercoated steel of the blade housing. Just like I'd ordered, the blade was currently collapsed against the barrel, which was also in its compact form. Oddly, though, a piece near the butt end of the weapon was padded.

"Oh, that part folds down into a stock." The blacksmith said, seeing my confusion, before pressing a button on the side and folding it down. "If you want to try it out, I've got an empty room above my shop."

I nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great, actually."

"Alright, follow me, then." He said, leading me upstairs. "Y'know, it's a good thing you placed the order when you did. The very next day, I got swamped with orders from the VDF for these _weirdly_ big guns." He scoffed. "I actually need to modify my dust alloying ovens to even fit the barrels in 'em!" He laughed. "I mean, why do you even need a sixty-millimeter gun that's thirty-five calibers long? The things won't do _anything_ to a ship!" He chuckled. "Oh, I'm rambling again, aren't I? Anyways, here's the room." He said, opening the door.

I nodded to him, stepping inside the high-ceiling room. The first thing I did was to eject the magazine and rack the bolt. I smiled when nothing came out; they were both empty. Slotting the magazine back in, I began to do a proper work-over of my new toy.

The weapon wasn't exactly light, but then again, that wasn't really an issue for me. I snapped the stock back in place and extended the barrel before folding out the blade. As expected, it was very bottom-heavy; it almost felt like I was holding a pendulum on a long stick.

I looked behind me, making sure he was well clear of the weapon's range before I started swinging it around like a madwoman, and then proceeded to do just that. The center of gravity was _very_ different from Wilt, not to mention the cutting surface, but still, it seemed like it was crafted very well.

Satisfied, I changed it back into its compact form, knowing I'd have to practice quite a bit with that aspect. I smiled to myself, turning back to the smith. "You do good work." I said.

He beamed. "What can I say? Every weapon's a work of art."

'Heh, the Brutes would disagree…' I thought, stuffing the weapon in my rucksack. "I think I'll take off, though. Gotta get back to Beacon."

He put his hands in his pockets, leading me back to the storefront. "Well, don't let me keep ya. If I recall correctly, your Uncle Qrow paid for it already."

I nodded. "Yeah, gotta take him out for lunch or something sometime."

He chuckled. "Well, have a good day, then! And be sure to come back if you or your friends need anything!"

"Will do." I said with a wave, exiting his shop.

Once I was on my way back, my thoughts drifted elsewhere; namely, what to call the weapon. 'I mean… I like what I did with Onyx Rose, but I can't really just call it Red Rose, or something…' I hummed. ' _Something_ Rose, though; I like my name being attached to a weapon for some reason.'

'Let's see… it's a sniper slash scythe, so… Crescent Rose?' I shook my head. 'Nah; Onyx Rose has some other significance to it, this one should too. Deadeye Rose? Same problem.'

I thought more and more while I ran my last errand; actually getting ammunition for the bloody thing. I may have gotten the weapon itself, but the blacksmith didn't sell _that_ for one reason or another. I thought long and hard while I was in the city, reaching ever farther for a name even as I waited for the Bullhead back to Beacon.

'…Currahee Rose? No, that's a mouthful.' I sighed, still at a loss for a name. 'Maybe I'll think of something in my sleep?' I thought; I _was_ pretty tired, after all. I yawned as the airship landed; the boarding ramps popping up before myself and the crowd surrounding me. While I was distracted, however, it seemed someone made a _very_ poor decision. I felt a hand slither its way into one of my cargo pockets.

The only one I _cared_ about.

I caught the hand by the wrist just as it withdrew and, turning around slowly, I got a look at the culprit. A scrawny blonde-haired boy looked at me in shock, my old teammate's dogtags dangling from his fingertips.

" _What_ do you think you're doing?" I growled, my voice low and my gaze harder than steel.

He squirmed, desperately trying to worm his way out of my grip. "H- Help!" He shouted. "Sh- She's attacking me!"

I rolled my eyes, nearly breaking his wrist in a split second for the sole purpose of getting him to drop what he held. I caught it mid-air, gently stowing it in my pocket before dragging the man over to the security station, screaming all the way.

The guard, who merely looked like a disappointed father, sighed as we approached. " _Really_? You're trying to pickpocket a huntress-in-training?" He shook his head. "This is stupid even for you." He turned to me. "Really sorry about this, ma'am. He got out on good behavior last time; shame it didn't stick."

I looked the would-be thief dead in the eye. "Listen here and listen good." I said. "You just tried to steal the last thing I have left of my original team. The thing itself has very little if _any_ monetary value. In other words, you came _this_ -" I pinched my fingers together. "close to having your wrist broken into a million different pieces for literally no reason. Think about that while you mope around and rethink your life choices."

I walked away, dimly registering the guard reading him the Remnant-equivalent of Miranda Rights. I sighed, plopping down onto one of the seats in the airship; the crowd giving me a _wide_ berth. I reached into my pocket and began counting the tags, making sure they were all there.

Carter. Emile. Jorge. Kat. Lisette. Jun.

'Heh, Jun'd probably love that I got myself a sniper…' I thought to myself, just relieved that I didn't lose any tags. I blinked. 'Wait a minute… what about Noble Rose?' I tested the name in my head a few times before smiling.

Noble Rose it is.

* * *

(A/N) Aaaand that rounds out Ruby's weapon collection! Onyx Rose, her mace/grenade launcher/assault rifle; Wilt and Blush, her liberated sword/rifle; and, of course, Noble Rose, her scythe/sniper rifle. Huh, every one of her weapons is also a rifle of some sort. Except her knives and her grenades. Hmm… rifle grenades… there's an idea…

We're nearing the end of Volume 2 now (finally), so I'm more focused on wrapping up the arcs that I started here; namely, the Arkos arc. Yes, they're officially a couple now, and that means they get punted back into the background. Also, I'm fully expecting a few people to have some choice words on how I handled the whole Pyrrha/Embra thing, but that's okay.

Aaaaaaaaanyways, that's all I have to say about this chapter, onto the reviews!

 **C313st14 said – "Does the unsc frigate have spare armor part for spartan II's or III's? And if not can Ruby just try to make an armor like the mjolnir mk1 that appeared in halo legends prototype short?"**

Nope, it does not have a spare part for a suit of MJOLNIR. Fun fact: the suit in the Prototype short isn't actually MJOLNIR; it's a HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I and probably more complicated than even a suit of MJOLNIR.

 **Ghost of Los Angeles said – "Exactly how much does Ruby trust Oz in this AU on a scale of 1 to 10 1 being I cannot trust him at all I need to find a way to quietly eliminate him to 10 I want induct him into ONI. One of the first things I think Pyrrha should remember is Ruby's past maybe have Glenda written on Ruby and what she is actually capable of and a lot of other things."**

At the beginning it was probably somewhere between a 2 and a 3. Now that he's being at least somewhat truthful with her, it's probably a 5 or 6. Actually, I don't think Ruby ever told anyone outside of Team RWWBY (and her father and uncle) what her past entailed in detail.

 **RozeBomb said – "I'm certainly loving how this story is unfolding, but you've got me interested for a VERY specific reason. I read 'A Summer's Harvest' a couple times and I notice that a line towards the end of it is exactly the same line Ruby said when she initially appeared over Remnant. I can only guess what you're planning, but I'm thinking there's gonna be some time-travel shenanigans going on.**

 **As for Valk having Silver eyes...that's gonna be interesting as well. I've never read another fanfiction where they included somebody not related to Ruby to have said eyes. I'm interested to see what you do with that.**

 **I'll be honest, your story gave me my own ideas for a RWBY/Halo crossover. Though I'm thinking also using some story aspects used by Buck's ODST crew. Anyway, gave me something to think about, so that usually means you got a good story.**

 **Personal note; Whiterose. I know you likely won't do it, but the concept of tall-as-hell Ruby picking Weiss up to kiss her is just hilarious in my mind!"**

There is no time travel, only light lag, I'm afraid. Though you're far from the only one to miss that; I probably didn't do a good enough job of inferring it.

Ikr? Usually they're Ruby's long lost sister/brother/cousin's best friend's former roommate. Not here; she's basically just a rando that happens to have silver eyes, pretty much just like Maria (though there's no relation to her either).

As a Whiterose shipper myself, that's adorable. Weiss is being Weiss-y and Ruby just picks her up and gives her a calm down kiss.

 **Ghostly said – "At the moment you made the notion of having industrial companies build vehicles, airships, better weapons, and tanks. It got me wondering about the ground vehicle & airships, would the tanks be like our modern day variation or will it be similar to the scorpion than there is the airships, are they going to have any similarities & weapons to UNSC vessels along with better hull armor?"**

There was a whole discussion about tanks over on the SB version; basically, the consensus is "Bob Semple on steroids for the first few, then start working through modern MBTs". Funnily enough there's a little hint in Ruby's last PoV about this subject…

 **Guest 001 said – "I am interested way you do B312 as Ruby you have to combine the to in a way that makes sense like ruby personality and B312 has their own personality are two different personality like TheManThatWalksTheAbyss115 gets B312 personality right now he adds after all so you doing a good job that all. Bty what do you think of TheManThatWalksTheAbyss115 story?"**

Thanks! I won't comment on his story compared to mine (though I think it's interesting) not because I don't respect it (it'll probably pass my own in favorites soon, so he's doing something right), but because I don't want to come off as self-aggrandizing. "Ah yes, my own work is blahblahblahblah."

* * *

Aaaaand that's it for this chapter! Stay healthy, stay home, and stay strong, see ya later! The next chapter is titled "Enemy At The Gates".


End file.
